Puri, Jul 30: The Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple, Puri, has written a formal letter to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) following the unauthorized publication of photographs from inside the temple on social media.
The controversy erupted after images of the inner enclosure of the sacred Shree Jagannath Temple were shared by ASI on social media late last night. The images, part of the documentation of ongoing conservation work, included a rare image of a chakra carving inside the temple premises.
In his letter, the Chief Administrator emphasized the deep spiritual and religious significance of the Srimandir for millions of devotees and stated that maintaining the sanctity and spiritual atmosphere of the temple is a shared responsibility of the administration, devotees, and the State government.
While acknowledging ASI’s commendable conservation work particularly the restoration of the Ratna Bhandar the Administrator expressed concern that the release of such sensitive images, even if unintentional, could hurt the religious sentiments of devotees.
He advised ASI to exercise greater caution when disseminating information related to the temple and requested the agency to take appropriate action to prevent such incidents in the future.
The letter reflects growing sensitivity around digital content involving places of worship, especially sacred heritage sites like Srimandir, where public display of interior visuals remains strictly regulated to preserve the temple's age-old sanctity.
