Disaster Risk Management Plan of medieval temple fortress of Jejuri, Dist. Pune, Maharashtra
Jejuri is one of the four most important religious places in the state of Maharashtra. People from all castes, religions and regions in Deccan visit the temple complex of Khandoba located on the top of a hill at Jejuri. The hill is accessed by two stone stairways. The complex itself consists of the main temple dedicated to Khandoba and seven smaller temples. It is enclosed by a wider fortification constructed in black basalt trap stone. It is a state-protected monument and run by a trust.
The construction of the complex and stairways with ancillary strictures spanned over four centuries. In the last century, in the modern era, it has seen increasing visitor footfall. At the same time, the complex has undergone several additions & alterations to accommodate an increasing number of modern facilities and visitor amenities. Most of these transformations are un-planned and ad-hoc basis. This exercise will be an opportunity to document past disasters and analyse existing threats and weaknesses to provide a safe environment for the visitors. Also, through this exercise, a model disaster risk management plan will be ready that can further be useful in the preparation of similar plans for other living heritage monuments in the region.
