Puri: The laser scanning of the outer walls of Ratna Bhandar in Puri Srimandir, started by the technical team of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Nov 28, was completed on Thursday, Nov 30.
According to reports, ASI has completed laser scanning at 45 places in 5-degree angles of the northeast, northwest and north sides of the outer side wall of the Ratna Bhandar.
Later today, a meeting was held between the ASI Superintendent and the Chief Administrator of SJTA in the temple office regarding the progress of laser scanning work.
ASI Superintendent Dr D.B. Gadnaik said that the laser scanning of the Ratna Bhandar outer walls has been completed and the data processing and documentation will be done. Later it will be analyzed and steps will be taken to repair the cracks in the structure. Similarly, laser scanning of other small temples (Parswa Devi Debatas) inside the temple will also be done soon.
In this way, information about the complete condition of other small temples can be obtained. In the coming days, this information will play a very important role in the preservation of the temples of Parswa Devi Debatas, said the ASI Superintendent.
Similarly, due to Kartik month, the renovation work of Natamandap of Srimandir was going on at a slow pace due to the heavy crowd of devotees. Therefore, the ASI Superintendent said that on Thursday, a discussion was held with the administration of the Srimandir on how to speed up the work. The ASI superintendent said that while laser scanning of the outer wall of the temple’s Ratna Bhandar has been done, laser scanning of the inner walls will be done if permission is granted by the temple’s administration.
On the other hand, the Chief Administrator of the Srimandir has asked the ASI to repair the cracks in the Nata Mandap beam of the temple and to assess the condition of other beams and pillars of the Nata Mandap roof. Apart from this, the ASI has also been asked to carry out laser scanning of the temples of Parswa Devi Debatas and provide information about the structure’s condition.
However, after the laser scanning report of the outer wall of Ratna Bhandar is submitted by ASI, it will be analyzed and steps will be taken towards conservation and repair, said Ranjan Kumar Das, chief administrator of SJTA. Das further said that the temple administration will take all necessary steps to repair the Ratna Bhandar as per the government’s orders.