Bhubaneswar: A six-member team from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) visited the iconic Sun Temple in Konark, Puri district, on September 18 (Wednesday) to assess the progress of sand removal from the temple’s innermost sanctum, the ‘garbhagriha’. Led by Additional Director General Janhwij Sharma, the team conducted a routine inspection of this 13th-century world heritage monument.
“It was a regular inspection. It’s a world heritage monument and we conduct inspections from time to time,” said Additional Director General (Conservation and World Heritage) Janhwij Sharma, who led the ASI team.
Over a century after the British filled the towering architectural marvel with sand to prevent its collapse, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) began constructing working platforms around the temple. This was done to assess the stability of Jagamohan (Mukhasala) and to evaluate the condition of the sand, which has settled by 15 feet, creating a vacuum at the top.
The 70ft high Jagmohan was filled with sand under the instruction of Lieutenant Governor of Bengal J A Bourdillon in 1903.
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Earlier, the Superintending Archaeologist of ASI (Puri circle), Dibashad Gadnaik had said that the conservation process would involve a multi-step assessment. Initially, a small hole will be drilled into the temple wall to evaluate the structural integrity. Following this, advanced techniques such as laser scanning and endoscopy will be employed to conduct a thorough examination of the temple’s internal structure.
It may be noted that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) agreed to remove sand from inside the Konark Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, during a national conference on ‘Conservation of Sun Temple’ held in February 2020. This conference was attended by the then Union Culture Minister, who announced the decision to remove the sand that was filled in the Jaga Mohan (assembly hall) of the temple by the British in 1903 for stability purposes.
The removal of sand from Konark Temple’s Jagamohan was deemed essential after a Central Building Research Institute (CBRI)-led endoscopy study revealed significant structural damage. The study, conducted through an existing hole at the top of the Amalaka, showed that the sand filling had settled approximately 12.5 feet, causing displacement of some stones.
