Modi to kickstart Maluti temples’ facelift on Oct 2
RANCHI: Ignored for centuries, Maluti, a cluster of 72 terracotta temples in Dumka, is now set for a facelift as Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate its restoration work on October 2, said chief minister Raghubar Das on Sunday.
Soon after the award-wining depiction of Maluti Temples during Republic Day parade on Rajpath in New Delhi, Das had promised to develop Maluti as a tourist spot. The depiction had won second prize in tableau category.
“The Prime Minister has given his consent to inaugurate the Maluti restoration project online on October 2,” Das said.
Modi will visit Jharkhand on Gandhi Jayanti to launch Mudra Bank scheme in Dumka.
The state government is planning to construct an interstate religious circuit connecting Baidyanath Dham (Deoghar)Maluti (Dumka)-Tarapith (West Bengal).
Indian Trust for Rural Heritage and Development (ITRHD), which has been asked to restore and conserve the temple within four years, has completed its detailed project report (DPR).
“We have already sanctioned ` 13 crore for the project,” Das said.
The 16th century Maluti Temples were built under the Baj Basanta dynasty, especially by the kings of the Pala dynasty at Maluti, a small town near Shikaripara in Dumka district.
Locals say the Pala dynasty had built around 108 temples but over generations 36 temples fell into ruins.
ITRHD state head SD Singh said, “Of the 72 temples, 62 would be conserved at ` 7 crore under the project. We will begin the restoration work with 20 temples from October 20.”
Singh, who is also the director of Project Maluti, said about 200 experts and workers from Rajasthan, Murshidabad and Rajmahal in Sahebganj would be engaged for the project. He said they have started ground clearance work in the area.
The tourism department has installed around 100 solar lights and all set to develop drinking water facilities and toilets for tourists.
“We had asked ITRHD to prepare an estimate for developing tourism facilities in the area. ITRHD has submitted its plan of around ` 2 crore. We will start work on the plan soon,” deputy secretary tourism Sunil Kumar Sinha told Hindustan Times.