Restoration work of the centuries-old royal palace in Junga is progressing rapidly after a devastating fire earlier this year destroyed a major portion of the historic structure. The palace, believed to be nearly 800 years old and once the headquarters of the erstwhile Keonthal princely state, holds immense historical and religious significance in the region.
On January 7 this year, a massive fire engulfed part of the ancient palace complex, completely destroying sections of the structure along with rare idols and sacred artifacts housed inside four temples, including the temple of Dev Junga. Several priceless traditional deity idols reportedly melted in the intense flames, causing an irreparable loss to the region’s cultural heritage.
Pankaj Sen said the restoration work is being carried out with large-scale public participation and community support. He stated that residents from across the former Keonthal princely state played a major role in removing debris from the fire-hit palace and safely recovering deity symbols and sacred remains from the damaged temples through voluntary labour.
According to Sen, devotees and representatives from all 22 “tikās” associated with Dev Junga have contributed both financially and through labour for the reconstruction of the four temples inside the palace complex. The debris removal work was completed during the recent Navratri period.
He said the temples of Dev Junga, Mata Tara Devi, Mahavir and another revered deity are now being rebuilt in their original traditional architectural style. Skilled masons from Mandi district, known for expertise in ancient hill temple architecture, have been engaged for the restoration work.
The committee estimates that nearly ₹7–8 crore may be spent on the reconstruction and restoration of the four temples. Sen appealed to the public to contribute financially towards preserving the region’s ancient religious and cultural heritage so that the historic legacy of the royal palace and temples can be protected for future generations.
