BHUBANESWAR/PURI : The technical core committee of the Shree Jagannath Temple found cracks in the Gundicha temple at Puri during an inspection of the monument on Saturday. The panel led by Director of CSIR-CBRI Prof SK Bhattacharya, former chief engineer Bindheswar Patra and chief of the technical core committee NC Pal examined the temple and found cracks on three pillars and a beam of the
Nata Mandap.
During conservation works for Rath Yatra this year, they had seen some structural damages to the columns and beam of the structure and as a temporary relief, the Nata Mandap was provided scaffolding support.
A detailed inspection of the damages revealed the cracks on the pillars and beam that takes the load of the Nata Mandap. Apart from the Nata Mandap, the Gundicha temple complex comprises a Vimana (tower structure containing the sanctum), Jagamohana (assembly hall) and Bhoga Mandap. Unlike the Shree Jagannath temple which is under the care of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the Gundicha temple is under the control of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA). Srimandir administrator AK Jena said a report on the damage and repair work proposal will be submitted to the State government and after its nod, work on fixing the cracks will be taken up.