Dikhyaa Mohanty 
During the nine-day visit of Lord Jagannath and His siblings to Shree Gundicha Temple, a routine annual joint inspection of the Shree Jagannath Temple will be conducted by a multidisciplinary team of more than 20 people, including experts from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), members of the shrine’s technical core committee, and officials from the Works Department.
The crews are attentively inspecting the state of the shrine’s sanctum sanctorum (Garbha Gruha), Nata Mandap (the dancing hall), Jagamohana (the assembly hall), Rosha Ghara (the kitchen), Bhoga Mandap (the pedestal on which food is served to the Lords), etc.
“We will be inspecting the condition of the sanctum sanctorum like it is done every year. Conservation work of the Jagamohana was done. We will check if anything else needs to be done. Also, the Nata Mandap will be inspected. Everything will be inspected,” informed Ashok Kumar Mohapatra, former Superintending Engineer, ASI.
Removal of the soot layer formed inside the sanctum sanctorum, dance hall and assembly hall, by chemical washing, cleaning of the first and second storeys, and checking of the ventilation system will be completed before Niladri Bije.
Over the last few months rodents and cockroaches have turned out to be menace inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.
“To curb the menace of rodents and cockroaches biotech treatment will be done apart from fixing of meshes and plugging of holes to prevent their entry. A multi-disciplinary team of experts are examining the problem, necessary and appropriate measures will be taken,” informed Ranjan Kumar Das, Chief Administrator, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA).
