BHUBANESWAR: LYING dilapidated for several decades, the severely damaged rosaghara (kitchen) of the 11th century Shri Lingaraj temple will finally be taken up for repair in a week’s time. It will be closed for the repair and renovation and alternatively, ‘bhoga’ will be cooked at the original small kitchen of the shrine near Laxmi Nrusingha temple on the premises till the works are completed.
Sources said the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will carry out the repair under conservation programme of the temple at the expenditure of Rs 1.24 crore. While the rosaghara’s floor is entirely broken, the roof has developed cracks and is leaking. Similarly, the seven doors of the kitchen are damaged due to water seepage and plaster from the walls has peeled off.
Besides, the kitchen’s only drainage system (called peja nullah) has been choked for a long time as a result of which, water used for cooking rice and cleaning vegetables is not being drained out from the kitchen. “Due to this, the kitchen floor remains slippery round the year and during rain, the dirty water spills over to the temple’s bhitara bedha (inner compound),” said Biranchi Narayan Pati, Brahman Nijog secretary.
There are two kitchens in the temple, the present one spread over 2,000 sq ft where repair work will be carried out and the second one which is the temple’s original kitchen is within 500 sq ft near Laxmi Nrusingha temple. ASI sources said the repair work will be completed within two to three months. The kitchen has 12 hearths and on normal days, food is cooked for 1,000 persons by Suaras. On festive days, the cooking is done for at least 10,000 persons. Servitors of the temple said this is the first time the rosaghara will be repaired since it was constructed.