Politics & faith: Jagannath project marks BJD's Odisha push

In the summer of 2021, Gourahari Pradhan, 65, would stand less than a hundred metres away from the iconic Jagannath Temple in Puri, usually in a state of irritation and annoyance.

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Pradhan grew up in the city, and the temple framed his devotion. The world could change around him, but this was his constant; an unfailing, everyday walk from his home 1km away to the cobbled stone that announced the periphery of the 12th century temple built during the Ganga dynasty, one among the holiest "char dhams". But even from that proximity, the temple would be completely obscured from his view, only the tip and a flag fluttering in the wind was visible. It was not the elements that blocked the temple; the winter mist was months away, and the torrential Odisha monsoon yet to begin. Instead, the temple was surrounded by illegal settlements that blocked the view, and sullied the surroundings-restaurants, random street vendors, and mounds of waste in the narrow lane that led to the main door.

"There was very little divinity that existed," Pradhan said

One day last week, Pradhan stood at the same spot. In front of him, the majestic structure stood tall. The buildings, shops and eateries were all gone, replaced by a thirty-foot-wide pathway made of khondalite stone. Along the periphery is a boundary wall marked by small pillars, embellished with flowers. "The temple has regained its glory," he said.

The changes have taken place under a 400-crore project called the "Shreemandir Parikrama Project" launched by the Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Odisha government that includes a new flyover for access to the shrine, multi-level car parking, and spanking new civic amenities. The project will be inaugurated in three glittering days between January 15 and January 17, five days before the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple 1200km away. Unlike Ayodhya, there is no new temple being built in Odisha. But like Ayodhya, the project in Puri is framing the state's politics, three-and-a-half months away from a crucial state and national election, where voting is held on the same day.

The temple revival