ASI To Survey Puri Jagannath Temple During Rath Yatra

Puri: During this year's Rath Yatra, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will document the state and features of the Ratna Simhasan in the Jagannath temple's sanctum sanctorum.

“As the ASI does not have access to the sanctum sanctorum of the temple during the remaining period of the year, a comprehensive documentation of the Ratna Simhasan through laser scanning will be prepared during the absence of the deities on Rath Yatra,” ASI Assistant Superintendent Chitta Ranjan Das told the media on Saturday.

“The objective of the documentation is to record the condition, geometry, carvings, sculptures and statues of the Ratna Simhasan. This will enable us to prepare a detailed drawing of the Ratna Simhasan for repairs, if necessary,” Das said.

He stated that the ASI had completed a comparable documentation of the Konark temple with success.

Das informed that like previous years, the ASI will carry out cleaning, conservation and chemical preservation in the sanctum sanctorum this time too. “The ASI will also conduct laser scanning of the sanctum sanctorum to detect if there are any cracks in the inner walls,” he said.

Asked about the lighting arrangements of the temple, Das replied that the ASI will install yellow lights in a sequence on the premises.  These lights will be placed around the meghanad pachari (temple boundary wall), gumuta (on the top of the four gates) Jagmohan and the top of the main temple,” he said.

“The estimated cost of the lightning project is Rs 1.5 crore. It will be completed in three months,” he added.

A private lighting company hired for the project had conducted a preliminary study within the temple earlier in the day.