(Above) The Baladevjew temple in Kendrapara and (right) its kitchen. Telegraph pictures

Kendrapara, May 10: The 300-year-old Baldevjew temple here is back in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Concrete plasters from the roof of temple kitchen fell down yesterday afternoon bringing to focus the poor state of the medieval heritage structure.

The incident occurred during the preparation of bhog for the deity. However, no servitor was injured as the concrete plaster fell at a place where nobody was present.

A similar incident was reported on November 11, 2010, when two servitors were preparing bhog. They sustaining injuries, according to the temple management.

The kitchen is as old as the 300-year-old temple. It is lying in a dilapidated condition though it was renovated once in the eighties.

“The kitchen is unsafe. It needs urgent repair. We have informed the state archaeology department about yesterday’s incident,” said Parthasarathi Das, executive officer, Baldevjew endowment.

“The temple has turned into a monument of neglect. The safety of servitors, priests and thousands of devotees is at stake. The state archaeology department had deputed an expert team to inspect the temple last year. But nothing has come of it yet,” said Nrusingha Charan Patri, a servitor.

“If the authorities continue to neglect the historic temple, mishap of this nature is bound to recur,” Patri added.

The state archaeology department had decided to take up renovation of the temple after a major crack was noticed last year. The crack measuring 1.5 feet width, 3 feet length and six inch depth had developed over the summit structure of the Maratha period temple.

The temple authorities had carried out minor repair of the crack after seeking permission of the archaeology department.

But permanent repair is yet to be undertaken by the state archaeology department following fund paucity.

“The restoration and maintenance work of the medieval temple would be undertaken shortly under technical supervision of the state archaeology department. We are waiting for the 13th finance commission grants for restoration of the heritage site,” said Pradipta Kumar Pattnaik, district collector of Kendrapara.

The temple was built in 1707 year during the Maratha subedar rule in this part. It’s a four-way structure and is devoid of architectural design. The Maratha style of temple building was mostly simple without intricate stone cravings, according to researchers.