Puri: The transformation of the Sri Jagannath Temple and its peripheral area is an epoch making effort of the state government that has few examples in history. From the building of the temple to present day, there have been very few steps taken for the conservation of the centuries old heritage. But today with the changing times, the Jagannath Temple needed a comprehensive transformation.
Improving the amenities at the temple has been necessitated by a manifold increase in the number of people in the last few decades. Also, the least available infrastructure in terms of open space and pilgrim amenities have been encroached upon in the last few centuries which needed to be freed. From the security point of view also there was a necessity to create an open space around the important temple. The efforts of the state government to transform the Sri Jagannath Temple are just in the right direction and surely lead to make Puri one of the best heritage cities of the world.
The Sri Jagannath Temple built in the eleventh and twelfth centuries by the Ganga dynasty rulers and the subsequent improvements to the temple infrastructure by the Gajapati dynasty and other rulers have made the temple one of the best pilgrimage centers in India. There were significant efforts by various kings from time to time for the betterment of the temple. The temple has been the epicenter of cultural and religious activities of Odisha for most of the time till date.
Today, the temple, with its glorious past and present significance needed a transformation. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s dream to transform the temple into a world heritage site has a valid reason and the efforts started are in the right direction. Though there were infrastructural developments inside the temple premises in the past, there have been few efforts in the past to decongest the peripheral areas of the temple. The narrow lanes adjoining the temple needed to be widened and more amenities needed to be put in place for the growing number of pilgrims. The 75 meter corridor being created by the administration around the temple will facilitate security to the temple and make available space for the various amenities for the visitors.An important aspect of the transformation process is that people who were settled for decades around the Jagannath Temple have given up the land required for the security corridor on their own will and have become a part of the development process. This can be said as an important achievement for the government to negotiate with them for this.
Many religious preachers have come to Puri and given their valuable contribution to the development of the temple. Jagatguru Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya, Tulasi Das and Sri Chaitanya are a few among them who have influenced the temple rituals and enriched the sanctity of the place. The present transformation being carried out can also be compared with those efforts. For long, the redevelopment was overdue and the government efforts today can be said to be at the right time.
The district administration led by Collector Balwant Singh has started implementing what the Chief Minister dreamt of transforming the city. The swift action by the administration and a committed supervision by the 5T Secretary V K Pandian are transforming the city and are part of the epoch making effort in Puri. The development plan which has already started showing on the ground will be recorded in the history as one of the finest and biggest transformations of the place.