Cuttack: In a significant directive, the Orissa High Court directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to start the repair of the Nata Mandap (dancing hall) and Jagamohana (the hall facing the sanctum sanctorum) of the Shree Jagannath Temple complex from tomorrow.
A division bench of the High Court comprising of Acting Chief Justice Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi and Justice MS Raman issued the directive while conducting a hearing on a petition filed by Abhisek Das.
The bench directed the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) to extend all cooperation to the ASI for conducting the repair work in the 12th century shrine.
The bench further directed the amicus curiae to visit the temple site every 15 days and submit a status report on the progress of work to the court.
The court fixed December 4 as the next date for hearing on the matter.
Earlier, the ASI in its affidavit had submitted that it will begin repair from 24 January 2024 since this being the holy month of Kartik and there is a huge rush of devotees and work for the inauguration of the Srimandir Parikrama project is underway it planned to start the repair work on January 24, 2024and would take 120 days to complete the work by working for six hours a day.
The bench expressing displeasure rejected the ASI’s submission and ordered it to commence work from tomorrow (November 16).
“The Superintendent of ASI in its affidavit had submitted that since it is Kartik month and work for the inauguration of Srimandir Parikrama project is underway it will commence the repair work of the Nata Mandap and Jagamohana from January 24, 2024. The division bench comprising of Acting Chief Justice BR Sarangi and Justice Raman expressed displeasure and ordered the ASI to start work from tomorrow. The Court in its order said that work will begin from tomorrow and the temple administration will extend full cooperation to the ASI in this,” informed Alok Mohapatra, petitioner’s counsel.
The ASI Superintendent and Shree Jagannath Temple Superintendent were present in the court during the hearing.
