Puri: Process for cladding three main doors inside the 12th-century shrine of Shree Jagannath Temple with silver started today.
A five-member team of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) under the direct supervision of the SJTA’s Executive Engineer Asish Subuddhi took measurements of the three main doors inside the temple- Jay Bijay Dwara, Kaalahaat Dwara and Beherana Dwara.
It may be pointed out here that wood of these doors has been damaged due to wear and tear.
While the Jay Bijay Dwara is the main entrance near the Bahar Katha leading to the sanctum sanctorum, the Kalahaata Dwara is the door of the sanctum sanctorum wherein the deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra are seated atop the Ratna Singhasana (bejewelled throne) and Beherana Dwara, the door through which devotees exit after having darshan near Bhitar Katha.
Designs for silver cladding of these doors have been already finalized by the SJTA, sources in SJTA said.
Temple sources said Khimji Jewellers of Bhubaneswar had visited the temple and has done a preliminary estimate of the quantity of silver that will be required for cladding these doors.
Khimji Jewellers has estimated that about 1920 kg silver will be required for cladding these three doors. These doors will be clad with a silver sheet of 1.63 mm thickness, the sources added.
Sources in the SJTA have revealed that a donor has expressed willingness to donate the silver to be used for cladding of these doors which are in six pieces.