BHUBANESWAR: Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday sought urgent intervention of the Union Ministry of Tourism and Culture for protection and preservation of the ancient heritage structures that have surfaced during the demolition drive conducted by the State government as part of its Ekamra Kshetra beautification project.
In a letter to the Union Culture Minister Pralhad Singh Patel, Pradhan urged him to send an expert team to Bhubaneswar to conduct a detailed study and thorough scientific excavation of the Ekamra Kshetra for unearthing heritage structures that may be lying buried under encroachments, and ensure their preservation.
The letter comes after TNIE reported the discovery of an ancient temple structure, said to be a part of the 10-11th century Suka-Sari complex, during the demolition drive and highlighted the blatant disregard of the State agencies to the invaluable pieces of Odisha’s history and heritage in their blind push for the project.
While carrying out scientific cleaning of the land in the Ekamra Kshetra heritage zone, the Bhubaneswar Circle of ASI had recently came across an ancient structure, presumed to be remains of temple belonging to the 10th-11th Somavamshi period on the north-west corner of the Sari temple. The ASI had also discovered two other structures believed to be the remains of small shrines.
These findings have led ASI experts to believe that the Sari temple complex was built on the Panchayatana model where the main temple is surrounded by four subsidiary shrines, he said and added that there is high chance of additional heritage structures lying buried. “Suka-Sari temple complex and Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar are protected by ASI under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act (AMASR Act).
There is an urgent need to act quickly in order to salvage and preserve what remains of this priceless ancient Odisha architecture. I seek your urgent intervention for preservation of the rich cultural and architectural heritage of the country by protecting the centuries old temples in Bhubaneswar,” Pradhan wrote.
The ASI (Bhubaneswar circle), meanwhile, has issued show cause notice to Odisha Bridge Construction Corporation (OBCC) for carrying out construction work at the site where scientific cleaning is underway. After Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation demolished the Gopal Tirtha Mutt and some urban structures on the site, the OBCC had been using JCB machines to level the land. Superintending Archaeologist of ASI Arun Malik on Saturday met Secretary of Works department in this regard.