Dehradun. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) department is preparing to take over a thousand year old Tungnath temple under its protection. With its approval, the temple will get the status of national heritage. At the same time, ASI’s Dehradun Regional Office is preparing a proposal to fill the cracks that have emerged on the walls of the temple. Under this, the ASI team will leave for Tungnath on Friday to prepare the site plan. The team consists of an archaeologist, surveyor and engineer.
According to Superintending Archaeologist Dr. RK Patel of the Regional Office of ASI, the condition of the temple’s pavilion is distressing. Along with the cracks, the stones have also been shaken from their place. The foundation of the pavilion in particular has weakened over time. According to Patel, the proposal will be prepared and sent to the central government within a month. It is expected that conservation work will be started by April next year.
ASI did inspection in the year 2018
The state government has been making efforts for a long time to include the Tungnath temple in the list of national heritage. So that after the state heritage, the Tungnath temple gets a new identity at the national level. In the year 2018, the state government sent a proposal in this regard to ASI. From here the proposal was sent to the Central Government and on the instructions of the Central Government (Ministry of Culture), Superintending Archaeologist Dr. Patel inspected the temple in the year 2018 itself. He had stated the need to improve the condition of the temple.
Drawing of stones will be ready
ASI’s team will soon be sent to Tungnath in order to prepare the proposal. The team will be there for 10 days and closely inspect the temple. Every single stone drawing will be prepared there, so that later those stones can be installed in the original form. New stone will not be used in construction.
Tungnath is one of the Panch Kedars
Tungnath Temple is one of the Panch Kedars located at an altitude of 3460 meters above sea level in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. It has been considered as the third Kedar. Legendary belief is that the Pandavas built this temple to please Lord Shiva.
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