Dust collects on age-old Marda Jagannath temple

BERHAMPUR: Plans to develop Marda, home to a 300-year-old Jagannath temple, into a tourist hub doesn't seem to be moving beyond official files. Even though the temple in the Ganjam district town boasts a marvelous Kalinga style architecture and served as a safe hiding place for the deities of Puri Jagannath temple during 1733-1735 AD, when such temples were being targeted by Muslim invaders, earning itself the honour of Sharan Srikhetra, Marda is yet to get the attention it deserves.

The administration of Sri Jagannath temple, Puri, had intervened some time ago to get the district administration to prepare a plan to attract tourists by developing the spot as a religious tourist place. A few sevayats and researchers of the Jagannath cult, who had visited the place to study the connection of the Marda temple with that of Puri, had promised to popularise the significance of the temple but it is yet to come to fruition.

"If at least five to 10 % visitors of Puri come to Marda, the place can be highlighted on the tourist map, opening up more livelihood opportunities for local people," Marda locals said. Presently, there is no deity in the temple, nor is the famous Rath Yatra held in the town. Some stray visitors drop by for research purpose or to enjoy a picnic or two. More people will visit the place when its historical aspects and connection with the Puri deities is highlighted, said MLA (Polasara) Niranjan Pradhan.

The MLA had spent about Rs 2 lakh to make a compound wall in the temple from his local area development fund. "Some of infrastructure development works have been done. Some more are to be done to make it popular a tourist spot," said Pradhan.

Daily ritual at the Marda temple is performed with financial assistance from the temple administration of Jagannath temple in Puri, but other works to protect the monument need to be taken up by the government, Pradhan said.

When contacted, chairman of the temple development committee and sub-collector (Chhatrapur) Trilochan Majhi said he would convene a meeting of the development committee to review the progress of development works of the temple. The administration would also take initiative to promote it as a religious tourist spot, he said.