The temple of Lord Jagannath remains a point of controversy since its outer wall is
plain and white washed, unlike other artistically carved outer walls of Lord
Lingaraj temple, Sun temple of Konark, Mukteswara temple etc. The white washed
plian surface devoid of any artistic workmanship prompted scholars to believe
that the temple is plain because there was degradation of artistic skill.The
reality is something else.The temple is carved with a thick coat of
plaster,around 16th century A.D., it was applied to save it from further
deterioration due to saline weather and wear and tear of ages. Even in the
complex all the medium and minor temples are too added with plaster to have
smooth surface for annual colour washing as done with main temple during
festive occasions.Others believe that the plaster was added after it was
desecrated by the Muslims and lime wash purified it again.
The
maintenance of the temple was vested with the temple administration,but
constant leakage and other structural problems prompted State Government to
handover the protection and preservation responsibility to Central Government
i.e. Archaeological Survey of India in 1974.
A
committee was constituted in the name of "Jagannath Temple Expert Committee" to
provide guidance,to Archaeological Survey of India and in the first meeting
itself,Dr. M.N. Deshpande,the-then Director General of Archaeological Survey of
India informed to the august gathering that the plaster existing on the outer
wall is to be romoved as it became porous and spongy,danger for the very
stability of the temple.The test check made,revealed that underneath this thick
plaster beautiful carvings are existing.Inspite of great protest of the
conservative Pandas and Public,deplastering scheme was formulated.
The
deplastering work undertaken by Archaeological Survey of India since 1975 on
the outer wall of Lord Jagannath temple at Puri has unveiled nither to many
unknown artistic and iconographic features.It will not be an exaggeration if it
is termed as a veritable museum of art and architecture.The age-old belief that
Jagannath temple is devoid of carvings was proved baseless and deplastering
work proved successfully that the temple is having much more intricate carvings
with full of artistic and iconographic representation not only connected with
Vaishnavism but also those of pan-Hindu or cosmopolitan Hinduism as images of
Siva, Ganesh, Goddess Kali, Brahma and Composite icons of Brahma and Vishnu are
incorporated within niches of miniature sikharas that are added on outer wall
Anurahapages.Even within Lord Jagannath temple complex,the temples dedicated to
Siva,Sakti,Ganapati,Surya also justify its cosmopolitan charecter.
On
the lower part of the temple over the horizontal panels is running parallely
all around the temple known as Vasanta is carved with the mythological stories
of Shrikrishna legends,like Kaliya Damana(killing of snake demon-kaliya).Giri
Goverdhana, Bakasura Badha, Rashlila, Krishna in the company of Gopis, Krishna's
fight with Kamsa, Krishna's move towards Dwarka from Mathra, etc. On the lower
jangha miniature sikharas are added over the prominent projections and images
of Dikpalas are incorporated.On the upper jangha portions of the temple, with
the miniature pidha mundies, the ten incarations of Vishnu are also
incorporated.
