Khandapada: A portion of Nilamadhab temple, built during the 12th century at Kantilo under Khandapada block in Nayagarh Friday, suffered significant damage after the shrine was struck by lightning.
While the ‘Dadhi Nauti’ on the crown of the temple has developed cracks, the flag on top of the shrine was blown away under the impact of the strike.
Several tourists and priests of the temple who were present at the time of the incident had a narrow escape as a flat copper wire attached to the shrine earthed the high voltage current. However, the concealed wire at the base of the temple burst out of the cement floor after thousands of volts of electricity surged through it.
Some of the tourists and priests who were left reeling in shock at the incident said it was divine intervention that saved them.
According to sources, the sky was cloudy in the morning over Kantilo but there was no indication of rain. Suddenly, a flash of fire was seen at the top of the temple followed by an earsplitting thunderbolt. The bolt was so loud that people initially could not comprehend that it was a lightning strike. Several parts of the shrine developed cracks following the incident, said locals.
It was learnt that the ancient temple was constructed to a great degree of resilience in order to withstand natural calamities such as this. However, some part of the flat copper wire was stolen by miscreants leading to the damage, locals said. State archaeology department should take appropriate measure for the protection of the shrine, they demanded.
Though details of the construction history of the temple are still shrouded in mystery, such an inauspicious incident was never heard of, locals of the area said.
Earlier, the ‘Dadhi Nauti’ of Mahavir temple on the premises of Nila Madhab temple got damaged during a cyclone in 1955.
Locals demanded government should take immediate step to protect the historic shrine.
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