The ancient Devipadahara Kunda and Papanasini Kunda, situated near the Lingaraj temple in Old Town, paint a sorry picture due to lack of maintenance. Both Devipadahara and Papanasini ponds are protected as heritage sites by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). A few months back, a deserted spot near the sacred Devipadahara pond was transformed into a garden with a part of the landscape being turned into an elevated viewing platform from where visitors can see the 100 small temple-like structures with lingams in them surrounding the pond. Located near the Lingaraj temple, all the structures are almost of the same height and size and date back to 11th century.
Around Rs 30 lakh was spent to give a facelift to the garden. The ancient pond and the elevated platform were made so that the main attraction __ the 100 temple-like structures around the ancient pond __ are visible to the visitors. Today, however, the beautiful pond and the structures are in a sorry state of affairs. Of the 100 temple-like structures, many have been severely damaged and some even broken completely.
Negligence on the part of the ASI, and misuse by devotees and dwellers nearby, have converted it into a stinking pond with algae floating over its dirty green water. The boundary wall of the tank has cracked at many places and religious offerings are dumped into the water.
The Lingaraj temple administration officials said even as the State Government plans to improve the infrastructure around the temple, not much is being done by the Government or the ASI to protect and beautify the pond and the small structures housing the lingams. “The space beside the pond is used as a parking lot for two and four-wheelers and one can find tourists and devotees, visiting the temple, dumping plastic packets and other garbage into the pond every day. “To worsen the situation, the ASI hasn’t cleaned the pond since ages,” said Lingaraj temple administration manager Devendra Mohanty.
Similar is the fate of 11th century Papanasini Kunda, situated at the Badheibanka chack. Embankment of the Papanasini pond needs urgent repair as algal deposit has settled on the water. It has been encroached on many sides by private residences in violation of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 2010, which prohibits any construction within 100 metres of a protected monument.
Sources said water of the tank is cleaned only during festivals when deities of Lingaraj temple are brought here for a bath. The ASI officials said conservation work on the two ponds, along with some other protected sites in the area, will be taken up soon.
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