NEW DELHI, July 1, 2013: Frequented by millions of pilgrims every year, the ancient Kedarnath temple has suffered extensive damage due to the flash floods earlier this month. While the main temple has managed to escape the brunt of the deluge, officials say that the surroundings have taken a hit. To assess the exact damage to the historic temple, a team of experts from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) arrived in Kedarnath on Saturday to examine the damage at the site and come up with a conservation strategy.

ASI is also planning to move the Centre to declare Kedarnath a protected site.

Led by ASI joint director-general Dr B R Mani, the team consists of director (monuments) A K Sinha, director (conservation) Jahanwij Sharma, superintending archaeologist (Dehradun circle) Atul Bhargava and two conservation experts. The team had examined photographs of the main temple and its complex and said that while the temple did not appear to have suffered much damage, the mandap area where thousands of pilgrims used to assemble have taken a hit and the damage seems most prominent here.

"It appears that the flash floods went inside the mandap and particularly the northern and eastern entrances have been damaged and stones have been dislodged. Once we get there, we can assess the damage for ourselves and then formulate a conservation approach. Fortunately, the main temple does not seem to have been damaged but we will inspect it thoroughly ourselves," said Dr Mani.

The Kedarnath temple complex was examined by the ASI's Dehradun circle last year in October during which factos like dislodging of stones, cracks etc were noticed. "We are talking to the Uttarakhand government for emergency conservation in the temple complex. Time is of the essence as the area will be closed from October again. Our priority apart from emergency conservation is to take preventive measures in case of another flash flood," said Sinha.

The temple was initially proposed for central protection by ASI in 2003. BY 2006, the process for notification as a protected site was completed but the consent from the Kedarnath and Badrinath temple committee failed to come through. "Because of this, the proposal for notification fell through though the Uttarakhand government would consult ASI time and again for repairs in the temple. We are now planning to move the Centre for protecting the site again now," revealed a top ASI official.

Inscriptions unearthed at Kedarnath date back to the eighth century. History has it that the first renovation in Kedarnath took place in 11century, then the 12th century and the last took place in the 18th century.

Source: The Times of India, DT. July 1, 2013.