Bhubaneswar: Eminent sand artist and member of Srimandir Managing Committee Sudarsan Pattnaik on Wednesday wrote to Chief Minister Mohan Majhi urging him to instruct the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to carry out maintenance work of the inner Ratna Bhandar of the Lord Jagannath temple in Puri immediately to avoid further damage.
In a letter to CM Majhi, Pattnaik wrote: “In 2018, the technical wing of ASI inspected the inner Ratna Bhandar Chamber and found many structural problems in the walls, ceiling and in the basement. The ASI team had then recommended immediate repair of the inner Ratna Bhandar. Though six years have elapsed, repair work is yet to be carried out. Due to the delay in repair, the damages might have further deteriorated by now. The laser scanning done in February 2024 also detected cracks on the outside of Ratna Bhandar.”
Praising Majhi for opening four doors of the Jagannath temple, Pattnaik further said, “On behalf of devotees of the Mahaprabhu, I urge you to instruct ASI to take up the repair and maintenance work of inner Ratna Bhandar without delay.”
