Jamshedpur, Jan. 13: The process to renovate and mo-dify the Sri Kovils (sanctum sanctorum) of the famous Dharma Saastha temple at Bistupur is set to start from tomorrow.

Officials of the Dharma Saastha Samooham addressing media persons on the temple premises said that they would have to carry out Jeernodharana — the ritual of of instilling life into the idol.

Kumbhabhishekam would be performed for carrying out the necessary renovation and modification of the sanctorum.

“Now, the sanctorum is wooden and a portion of it has damaged, which requires to be changed. We propose to replace the wooden sanctorum with granite.

This could not be achieved without performing the rituals Jeernodharana and Kumbhabhishekam. The process would start tomorrow and end on March 15.

After the renovation is done, the week-long Saastha Preethi celebrations would be organised from March 15 to March 22,” said working president of the temple body, P. N. Shankaran.

He also said that process of renovation would start from Kalakarshanam.

“This process is necessary for starting the renovation as the power of deity would be shifted temporarily before initiating modification.

Three priest from Tanjore in Tamil Nadu have been invited to complete this function,” said Shankaran.

He also said that the main function for Jeernodharana would start on March 10 and Kumbhabhishekam will be done on March 15.

The first Jeernodharana was performed on January 26, 1989 and the second on February 1, 1998. Officials also said that the Marunthu Shathal that is fixing of the deities will be done by Astha Bhandanam that is by the gold method, as done in the last Kumbhabhishekam.

The Dharma Saastha Temple with its 42 feet high Rajagopuram, was gifted to the city on the occasion of Silver Jubilee of the Sammoham.

It has separate sanctum sanctorum for lord Dharma Saastha, lord Maha Ganapathy, lord Mahaveer, Kanyamoola Ganapathy, Bhagavati, Sarpa Raja and Nava Gardhas.

Innumerable religious ceremonies have been performed in the last 60 years of the temple for the welfare of the community in Jamshedpur.

Earlier, the exterior renovation of the temple started on December 15, last year. Temple officials said that artisans from Tamil Nadu have been invited for renovating and modifying the temple.