This story is from July 8, 2021

Uttar Pradesh: Plans to develop eighth century Sun temple in Pratapgarh district

A team of the state tourism department and Uttar Pradesh Project Corporation Limited has conducted a survey to revive the eighth century Sun temple in Shivganj village under Gaura gram sabha of Pratapgarh district.
Uttar Pradesh: Plans to develop eighth century Sun temple in Pratapgarh district
A view of sun temple in Pratapgarh district
PRAYAGRAJ: A team of the state tourism department and Uttar Pradesh Project Corporation Limited has conducted a survey to revive the eighth century Sun temple in Shivganj village under Gaura gram sabha of Pratapgarh district.
The villagers under the banner of Bhayharan Nath Dham Kshetriya Vikas Sansthan initially took initiatives to preserve idols, pillars and structures of the ancient Surya temple since 2016, and even removed encroachments near the temple site with the help of other locals.
They have now been constantly writing to the tourism department to take up maintenance of the remains of the ruined temple and to develop the area.
General secretary of the Sansthan, Samaj Shekhar, told TOI that a team of the tourism department and Uttar Pradesh Project Corporation Limited conducted a survey of the ancient temple last month.
He further added that the team of tourism department picked up the ancient Sun temple after the state government moved the proposal to develop areas associated with ancient saints and sages in the state. Shekhar said that a group of villagers had initiated steps to revive Sun temple built in the eighth century, and even held a series of meetings with the officials concerned.
Claiming that a majority of people have no idea of the existence of the Sun temple in a remote village of Pratapgarh district, volunteers from Baba Bhayharan Nath Dham Ksher tiya Vikas Sansthan were the first to come forward to apprise people about the ruins of the historical edifice and sought their assistance to develop and maintain the area in and around the temple.
Shekhar, meanwhile, informed that a team of Archeological Survey of India (ASI) had visited the spot in 2011 and registered seven of its remains, directing
gram panchayat of Gaura to follow the rules under the Antiquities and Art Act, 1972. The ASI, too, had said the temple dated back to Purva Madhya Kal (pre-medieval period).
Puneet Pandey, supervisor (Pratapgarh), Uttar Pradesh Project Corporation Limited, told TOI that there are plans to develop the area as a religious tourist spot and a work plan is being mooted in the same regard.
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About the Author
Kapil Dixit

Kapil Dixit is a graduate of the Indian Institute of Mass Communications. He has covered crime at regional as well as state level. His hobbies include reading, writing and meeting people with diverse interests.

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