ASI busts ‘misleading’ pics of Odisha’s Konark temple

Bhubaneswar: A day after multiple photos of Odisha’s Sun Temple in Konark purportedly showing replacement of sculptures with plain stones surfaced on social media and went viral, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) issued a clarification in this regard saying that the images are ‘misleading’.

The images with sculptures are from Natya Mandapa of the temple while the photos showing plain stones are from the plinth of Jagamohana (the main temple), the ASI said.

The tweet regarding replacement of sculptures with plain stones is false and misleading, it said.

The tweet regarding replacement of sculptures with plain stones is false and misleading. The 2 images shown in the tweet are from different locations. The image with sculptures is from Natya Mandapa while the plain stones images are from the plinth of Jagmohana (the main temple). pic.twitter.com/FcT2Hih60k

— Archaeological Survey of India (@ASIGoI) February 10, 2020

The ASI further added that the plain stone work shown in the image was done in mid 1980s. “ASI used plain stone only wherein there was no evidence left and as per ASI’s the then archaeological policy, only such portions were filled with plain stones. ASI would like to confirm that no sculpture has been replaced,” it said in a statement.

Worth mentioning, the photos came to fore after removal of iron scaffolding at the temple.