BHUBANESWAR: The ‘kalasha’ atop the Rameshwar temple at Old Town collapsed after it got struck by lightning as the capital city witnessed heavy showers on Saturday. Fortunately, none of the servitors or devotees who were present in the temple at the time of the incident were injured.Also known as Mausi Maa temple, the 21.5 metre-high shrine was constructed in sandstone during 12th century. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it is a Centrally-protected monument.
The incident took place between 9 am and 9.30 am when the servitors were conducting rituals inside the temple. “We heard a loud noise and felt vibrations. When we stepped out to see what happened, there were large pieces of stones scattered outside,” said a priest of the temple Nakula Mishra.
A team of eight Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) officials visited the temple and found that the ‘kalasha’ (on which the flag is affixed) of the monument had collapsed. A new kalasha will be constructed in sandstone and fixed atop the shrine soon, superintending archaeologist of ASI (Bhubaneswar circle) Sushant Kar informed.
Besides, a lightning arrester will be fixed on the temple. “But prior to that, the team will visit again and carry out a detailed investigation of the top portion of the temple to find out if there are any other damages,” he added.
The ASI had recently repaired the cracks on the top portion of the temple. Due to cracks in the temple walls, water has been seeping into the sanctum sanctorum during rains for the last several years. “This year, though, there has been no water seepage due to pointing and sealing of the cracked joints in temple walls. The work is currently underway,” Kar said.
Rameshwar temple is connected to Lingaraj temple as far as the Rukuna Rath Yatra, the annual chariot festival of Lord Lingaraj, is concerned. During Rukuna Rath Yatra, bronze images of three deities - Chandrasekhar (the representative of Lord Lingaraj), Rukmini and Basudeva - are taken to Rameshwar temple in a colourful procession.
Including Rameshwar, many of the temples in Bhubaneswar, also known as the ‘City of Temples’, are without lightning arrestors with Lingaraj temple being an exception. Kar further informed ASI has in its annual plan for this year decided to install lightning arresters in all the temples in the city that are under its control.
