Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has planned to give a thick silver coating to the ‘Garuda Stamba’ at the Nata Mandapa inside the Srimandir as the age-old pillar is getting thinner day by day due to touch of devotees.
The administration has estimated an expenditure of Rs 1.30 crore. A West Bengal-based businessman has shown interest to bear the cost of the construction.
As per the report of the SJTA, the Garuda Stamba is getting thinner due to touching and hugging by devotees. It is believed that hugging the divine pillar can help attain salvation and maintain healthy life.
Touching by large scale devotees on regular basis may cause threat to the structural stability of the pillar. Therefore, devotees need to refrain from direct touching and hugging the Garuda Stamba for its safety, said SK Patel, former director of Archeological Survey of India (ASI).
The SJTA also took the proposal of silver coating to the Shree Jagannath Temple management. The administration has shot off a letter to the temple management in this regard. The SJTA also sought feedback from culture experts, intellectuals and senior servitors as the Garuda Stamba is associated with religious sentiments of countless Hindus and Jagannath devotees.
