Odisha CM writes to culture minister over preservation of Konark Temple

Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik sought Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma's intervention for the preservation of Konark Temple after reports of negligence in preservation came to light.

In a letter that Patnaik wrote to Sharma on Saturday, he stated, "I would request you to cause an inquiry into the matter and also direct ASI to take appropriate steps immediately for preservation and conservation of this magnificent World Heritage monument."

The letter, which was made available to the media on Sunday, also stated, "It has been mentioned in the newspaper report that 40 per cent of the artistic stone carvings of the existing Konark Sun temple have been replaced by the ASI with plain stones."

Konark Sun Temple is located near Puri on the coastline of Odisha and is attributed to king Narasingha Deva I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty.

Dedicated to the Hindu god Surya, the temple represents a 100-foot high chariot with immense wheels and horses, all carved from stone.

The temple has been declared as one of the World Heritage sites by the UNESCO.