Temple on road to oblivion amidst negligence

NABARANGPUR: A Garuda pillar welcomes you at the main entrance. Once past it and inside the decrepit Jagannath Temple here, one cannot help but marvel at the samples of wooden carvings which testify to the district’s mastery over the art. At the same time, one cannot overlook the negligence of this centuries old temple commissioned by the then ruler of Nabarangpur, Jagannath Dev. The temple not only deserves regular maintenance for the extensive and rich wooden carvings it houses, but also for the legend associated with it. The legend has it that the ruler of Bastar had raided the temple and seized the idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra for installation in a temple at Jagadalpur. However, the idol of Jagannath slipped from the elephant’s back on way to Jagadalpur and was recovered by the locals. Since then, only the wooden idol of Lord Jagannath is worshipped at the temple. The practice continued till the late 80s when locals joined hands and installed the idols of Bhalabhadra and Subhadra. With all the glitz gone, the temple now resembles a dilapidated private quarter. However, the wooden carvings stand out. The heavy wooden ceilings, supported on wooden beams exemplifies the hoary past of the temple. Carvings on the wooden beams are still lively. Intricate designs of various entities of nature adorn the wooden roof. As an example of artistic expertise, the building has human beings in erotic postures carved in wood.The Endowments Department, responsible for maintenance of the temple, has been apparently indifferent to its shoddy state. The Government has been approached quite a few times to take up restoration of the temple, but in vain, says Chamber of Commerce president Durga Dash.