Garuda Stamba at Srimandir is getting thinner day by day due to regular touch of devotees. As a result, the pillar is lying in a precarious condition.
Keeping this in mind, it has been decided to wrap it with a thick silver coating to protect it from being destroyed.
According to sources, devotees embrace the Garuda Stamba and offer their prayers to the Lord . As devotees are debarred from embracing idols of deities, devotees embrace the pillar of his carrier to get rid of sin of ages.
It is believed that one can get relief from incurable diseases if he embraces Garuda Stamba. Because of these reasons devotees make it a point to embrace the pillar during their visit to Lord Jagannath temple.
Besides, legend has it that Chaitnya Mahaprabhu used to offer his prayer to Lord Jagannath at this place.
A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting attended by members of the Chhatisha Niyog Nayak, Srimandir Management Committee and senior servitors. A sum of Rs 130 lakh has been estimated for the proposed project.
Earlier SK Patel, a director with the government of India, had opined that as the pillar is made up of sandalwood, devotees should refrain from touching it directly.
Meanwhile, a resident of West Bengal has expressed interest to bear the entire expenses and carry out the work.