Odia signage goes wrong at Simhachalam temple

Brahmapur: A signboard meant to guide devotees to the footwear stand at the famous Simhachalam temple in Andhra Pradesh has turned into an object of ridicule in Odisha, thanks to what appears to be a bizarre AI-generated or machine-translated Odia version.

The signboard, installed at the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple, carries directions in Telugu, English and Odia. While the English inscription clearly reads “WAY TO SLIPPERS STAND” and the Telugu version conveys the intended meaning, the Odia translation has left readers amused and bewildered.

Instead of conveying the simple direction to the place where devotees can deposit their footwear, the Odia wording, conveys an entirely different and comical meaning, roughly suggesting a way for slippers to stand. A simple directional instruction has thus turned into an unintended joke, triggering sharp reactions and criticism on social media in Odisha. Many have questioned how such an elementary translation could go wrong at a major pilgrimage centre frequented by thousands of Odia devotees. The episode has also raised questions about the indiscriminate use of artificial intelligence and automated translation tools without proper human verification. While technology can certainly help bridge language barriers, its uncritical use in public communication can lead to embarrassing consequences.

The Simhachalam temple, dedicated to Lord Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy, is one of the prominent pilgrimage destinations in South India and attracts devotees from Odisha and several other States.

The scale of the temple’s popularity makes the issue particularly significant. The Andhra Pradesh government’s official tourism-related documents estimate its annual pilgrim footfall at around 20 lakh. The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation also describes the shrine as attracting millions of devotees every year.

With such a substantial number of devotees, including a significant number from Odisha, accurate and dignified multilingual signboards are essential. The temple authorities would do well to review the translations and ensure that competent Odia language experts verify the signage before it is displayed.

After all, a signboard meant to guide devotees should not become a source of confusion—or unintended entertainment.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sunil Mohan Patnaik

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