Sonepur, Nov. 4: The Koshaleswar temple that once used to boast of its exquisite architectural design has been reduced to ruins.

Situated at Baidyanath, about 15km from Sonepur beside the Tel river, most parts of the temple have collapsed and fallen into the water body.

The structure, however, still retains some of its original constructions, and there is an urgent need for its preservation. Earlier, the district administration had written to the state archaeological department to take care of the monuments of the temple.

An official at the state archaeological department, which is supposed to look after the monument, however, said the conservation would start shortly.

Eminent historian Sadananda Agrawal, who has done extensive research on the temple, said the construction represented a regional style that could be called the Koshali style of temple architecture.

“The works on the buildings resemble those of Belkhandi and Someswara temples of Patnagarh. The most notable sculptures in the temple include, darpani (a lady with the mirror), matruka, a couple, Ganesh, Kartik, Ardhanariswar, flying couple and Nataraj.

“Many sculptures inside the temple have been victim of human vandalism though the monument is protected by the state archaeological department. Besides, the government, too, sanctions ample funds for preservation of such beautiful monuments,” said Agrawal.

The temple dates back to the time of the ninth century AD, said Agrawal.

“The coronation of the first Somavanshi king of Odisha, Janmejaya Mahabhaba Gupta, took place on the Tel river,” said Agrawal.

Eminent scholars such as Vidya Dehejia, a professor at Columbia University, and British art critic Charles Fabri had visited the temple and wrote on it.

Benudhar Pradhan, a culture enthusiast of Sonepur, attributed the cause of the deplorable condition of the temple to the step-motherly attitude of the state archaeological department towards it.

“Half of the temple is already lost in the river. The structure is in ruins, but it still remains to be a remarkable monument. The state archaeological department, which is entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining and preserving the temple, has done nothing to protect the monument,” Pradhan said.

“We want the department to take initiatives to preserve and conserve the monument,” he said.

Aswini Satapathy, archaeologist at the state archaeological department, said the Indian National Trust For Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach) would take up the conservation of the monument with grants from the 13th Finance Commission.

“The conservation of the Koshaleswar temple will be taken up by Intach with funds sanctioned under the 13th Finance Commission. We have placed a detailed project proposal with the culture department. Work will start shortly. There are many monuments left in the temple that need to be preserved,” Satapathy said.