Civic authorities demolish the Hanuman temple in Berhampur. Picture by Gopal Krishna Reddy

Berhampur, Nov. 24: Lord Hanuman set Lanka on fire and moved mountains, but could not save his 100-year-old abode at Hanuman Bazar here.

The local Hanuman temple was razed to the ground by bulldozers today to facilitate widening of the road from Hanuman Bazar to Big Bazar.

Before demolition, the deity was shifted to its temporary abode at the nearby Laxman Balaji temple.

“Hanuman Bazar, one of the important commercial areas in the Silk City, is named after the deity who was installed there for more than 100 years,” said B.B. Kumar, founder-president of Hanuman Bazar Merchant Association.

Berhampur sub-collector Ajit Mishra, Berhampur Municipal Corporation commissioner Bhim Manseth, sub-divisional police officer Sarat Mohapatra and city tehsildar Satrughna Kar monitored the demolition process.

On October 31, trustees of the Hanuman temple had sought permission from the Berhampur sub-collector for shifting the idol. “Taking into consideration the religious sentiments of the people, we had given them time till November 23 to shift the deity,” said Mishra.

The sub-collector also pacified a group of people belonging to various Hindu outfits protesting against the drive. However, no untoward incident took place.

The deity was shifted temporarily to the nearby Laxman Balaji temple in a procession on Wednesday afternoon. Mishra also offered puja to the deity during the shifting.

“The Supreme Court has given categorical instructions and our chief secretary has filed an affidavit to this effect that no religious structure should be present on the road. If they are creating public nuisance and traffic congestion, then those have to be relocated,” Mishra said.