Puri Jagannath Temple Servitors Seek Probe Into Stones Missing From Ratna Simhasan

Puri: The servitors of Jagannath Temple in Puri on Tuesday demanded a thorough probe into the alleged missing of stones from the Ratna Simhasan of the Lords in the Garbha Gruha (sanctum sanctorum).

Speaking to media here, senior sevayat Ipsita Pratihari said that he found some stones removed from the lotus-shaped Ratna Simhasan during his duty on Monday.

Like every year, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had taken up the repair and reconstruction works at the 12th-century shrine during Rath Yatra. The sibling deities had returned to the temple after Niladri Bije on July 4.

“Since the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) had entrusted the repair work of the sanctum sanctorum to the ASI, the team must have either apprised it of the missing stones or handed them over to the administration,” he said.

The sevayat said it is a sensitive issue and the SJTA should issue a clarification in this regard.

“If the temple administration says that the stones are missing, then it should mention the date when these went missing. It should clarify whether the ASI has removed these stones and on whose direction,” he added.

Pratihari also urged the state government to conduct a thorough probe into the matter and seek details from the temple administration about the ASI members who were in charge of the repair of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.