Bhubaneswar, Oct. 9 -- A bolt of lightning struck the 11th-century Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar during a severe thunderstorm, damaging around 40 CCTV cameras and burning the pennant atop the shrine.
According to temple servitors, the incident occurred yesterday when several priests and devotees were inside the sanctum sanctorum. "The entire temple shook, and the deafening sound still echoes in our ears," said one of the servitors, quoting heritage expert Anil Dhir.
The strike not only burnt the flag but also caused extensive damage to the temple's electrical system. Several servitors and devotees reportedly sustained minor injuries.
Dhir recalled that the temple had been struck twice before, on July 15, 2023, when six temples in Bhuban...