Lords Away, ASI Looks At Ways To Plug Rodent Holes In Puri Jagannath Temple

Puri: With the Lords away on their annual sojourn, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has embarked on a peculiar exercise to spot burrows through which rodents are invading the sanctum sanctorum of the 12th century Shree Jagannath Temple.

On Thursday, ASI officials along with Work Department staff and technical core committee members of the temple inspected Srimandir and conducted a review meeting of the various conservation works underway at the shrine. The experts have a week to find a solution for the rodent menace as the deities would return to the shrine on the occasion of Niladri Bije on July 1.

“After spotting the holes and inspecting the drainage system, we will take remedial measures,” ASI’s superintending archaeologist of Puri Circle Dibishada Brajasundar Garnayak told the media.

Earlier this year, the temple servitors had complained of a rise in rodent problems in the sanctum sanctorum. Besides posing difficulties for the sevayats to perform the rituals, the rodents nibbled away the clothes and garlands of the deities seated on the ‘Ratna Singhasan’ (sacred altar) in the shrine.

A temple official said they may apply some chemicals and plug the holes, if detected, to stop rodents and other insects from entering the sanctum sanctorum.

Recently, the servitors of the Jagannath temple had refused to use a rat repellent machine inside the sanctum sanctorum as it was making a humming noise which would disturb the deities in their sleep. Instead mouse traps are being laid and those caught released outside the temple complex since killing or poisoning mice is a strict no-no in a sacred place.