A 10th Century Temple Has Been Unearthed During Excavation Near Shree Lingaraj Temple In Odisha
Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday sought the intervention of Tourism and Culture Minister Pralhad Singh Patel in carrying out a detailed scientific excavation of the heritage-rich Ekamra Kshetra in Bhubaneswar after the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) recently discovered the remains of a 10th or 11th century Somavanshi period temple floor at the north-west corner of Sari temple.
The ASI team was carrying out scientific cleaning of the two-acre plot adjacent to the Suka-Sari temple complex in Ekamra Kshetra.
The Suka-Sari temple complex and Lord Lingaraj in Bhubaneswar are protected by the ASI under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act (AMASR Act).
"There is an urgent need to act quickly in order to salvage and preserve what remains of this priceless ancient Odishan architecture," said Pradhan.
The ASI also discovered two other structures, believed to be the remains of small shrines, and a portion of the Sari temple.
These findings have led ASI experts to believe that the Sari temple complex was built on the Panchayatana model where the main temple is surrounded by four subsidiary shrines.
"So far we have found a portion of wall containing some beautifully engraved statues of danseuses of the temple which was earlier buried under the campus of the demolished Sanskrit college. Another side of the wall is being dug out, It will require 10 more days to completely bring out the structure," ASI Odisha circle Superintendent Arun Mallick said.
He, however, expressed apprehension that some portion of the structure might have been damaged due to use of machines while digging the area under the beautification drive.
In his letter, Pradhan said: "Keeping in mind the immense archaeological, artistic, socio-cultural and religious importance of ancient Odisha's temples, I request your personal intervention in directing ASI to send an expert team to Bhubaneswar for carrying out a detailed study and thorough scientific excavation of the 'Ekamra Kshetra' area in Bhubaneswar".
"This means that there is a high chance of additional heritage structures lying buried under encroachments in the Ekamra Kshetra," he added.
