Bat trouble at Sun Temple

Visitors to the famous Sun Temple at Modhera are hit by a stench so foul that few want to stay there for long. The offensive smell comes from the excreta of the thousands of bats which have made the temple their permanent home. They can be seen hanging from the ceilings and pillars everywhere in the centuries-old structure.But it's not just the stench that has been causing worry . The constant flow of bat urine has resulted in the pillars and walls losing their colour and, at places, even their original shape.The problem is so acute that the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has written a letter recently to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) asking it to take necessary steps immediately .“Tourists avoid entering the prin cipal room of the temple because of the bats which are flying there all the time,“ said Intach convener Javahar Mehta. “The smell of bat urine and droppings has been driving away visitors.“In his letter to the ASI, Mehta has written that bat urine had started damaging the sculptures in the temple. Batukji Darbar, sarpanch of Modhera village, said that the bat menace began two years ago and the problem had been getting worse each passing day .“It's a big put-off for visitors,“ said Darbar. “We are afraid the number of tourists will begin to dwindle if something is not done to get rid of the bats. The authorities concerned seem to have taken no initiative to end the bat menace.“Vipul Rawal, a guide appointed by the tourism department, said tourists complain to them about the foul smell in the temple.“We are seven guides here and all of us have received complaints from visitors about the stench,“ said Rawal. “Even tourists who want to spend more time at the temple to examine its magnificent architecture leave soon because of the smell.“Toilet shortageVisitors' problems are not limited to the stench of bat excreta. The door of the only toilet for women is broken, making it necessary for someone to stand guard outside whenever a female uses it. The condition of men's toilet is no different.Men urinating behind nearby temples are a common sight much to the discomfort of womenfolk.Fluoride in waterLakhs of tourists visit the Sun Temple every year; yet water safe for drinking is not available here. Drinking water is supplied from bore-wells and it is extremely high in fluoride content. Intach has urged the ASI to ensure supply of RO water.