PURI: A six-member team of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) led by Odisha head Arun Malik on Thursday shifted the broken lion sculptures to its local office.ASI conservator Jyotiranjan Pradhan said the two sculptures were carefully wrapped in sack. These were taken from the mutt campus to the local ASI office for preservation and to ascertain their exact dating. Earlier, Malik had said that the broken sculptures could be dating back to the Ganga dynasty.
Meanwhile, a complaint has been lodged with Simhadwar police against Malik for ‘misleading crores of devotees’ about the excavated sculptures. In the complaint, secretary of a local NGO Hector Mishra said though ASI had filed an affidavit in Orissa High Court on detection of the two sculptures on April 29, it took no steps to preserve these.
“Malik, who is also the ASI superintendent, had inspected the sculptures on May 17 and said these probably belong to the period of Ganga dynasty. It was an irresponsible statement without support of any evidence. The exact dating could be ascertained only through radiometric test. Since this facility is not available in Odisha, how did Malik ascertain the age?” he questioned. Mishra urged police to investigate and take action against Malik for spreading false information.
Snana Purnima plan chalked out
Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Vir Vikram Yadav on Thursday held separate meetings with servitors of Daita, Simari and Pujapanda nijogs for conduct of the Snana Purnima ritual on June 14. The timings for public darshan, pahandi, Chhera Pahanra and Hati Vesha were finalised. The ritual of deities on the concluding day of the 21-day-long Chandan Yatra was also chalked out. It was decided that devotees will be allowed up to Snana Bedi (bathing altar) to have darshan of the Trinity for two hours. Since the threat of pandemic has subsided, devotees will be allowed to participate in Snana Yatra and Rath Yatra. Snana Purnima is an important ritual before the annual Rath Yatra which will be held on July 1.