Puri, April 21 -- The administration of the Jagannath Temple has sought advice from Swami Nischalananda Saraswati, the Sankaracharya of Gobardhan Peeth, regarding the installation of Dasavatar idols at the arcade of the Simhadwar, the main entrance of the 12th-century shrine.
The issue dates back to 2012, when the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) undertook conservation and repair work at the Simhadwar. During the process, the Dasavatar idols were dismantled to facilitate the installation of a steel-reinforced beam to support the upper structure of the gate.
Subsequently, the ASI commissioned an artisan from Harekrushnapur to carve a new set of Dasavatar idols. However, differences arose among pundits and religious scholars over whethe...