Odisha Govt Greenlights Opening Of Jagannath Temple's 'Ratna Bhandar' On Sunday After 46 Years

Odisha govt has approved the reopening of Lord Jagannath temple's "Ratna Bhandar" treasury on July 14 for repairs and inventory of valuables, including gold and silver ornaments last counted in 1978.

The Odisha government approved unlocking 'Ratna Bhandar', the revered treasury of Lord Jagannath temple in Puri, on Sunday after 46 years for repair and counting of ornaments and other valuables. The treasury was last opened in 1978.

Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan confirmed that it will be open on July 14 for repair work. "‘Ratna Bhandar’ at Lord Jagannath Temple will be opened on July 14, that is, tomorrow. The decision was approved by the government. We will open the ‘Ratna Bhandar’, we will repair it and counting of ornaments will be done,” he said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which carries out the maintenance of the 12th-century shrine, will be doing the repair work, officials said, as per PTI. "We are fully prepared for the reopening of the Ratna Bhandar on Sunday. We will strictly adhere to the standard operating procedures (SOP) issued by the government in accordance with the Shree Jagannath Temple Act," Puri District Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain said.

"The 16-member high-level committee constituted by the state government recommended reopening the Ratna Bhandar on July 14. Following traditional attire, we will first offer prayers to Lord Lokanath inside the temple," said Soumendra Muduli, a member of the special committee headed by retired Justice Biswanath Rath of Orissa High Court.

He added that authorised personnel and a snake catcher will first enter the treasury for the safety norms.

Puri Jagannath Temple: Haladhar Dasmohapatra Highlights Necessity To Reopen Treasury

The chief servitor of Lord Balabhadra, Haladhar Dasmohapatra, spotlighted the necessity to reopen the treasury for repair works, highlighting its prolonged closure. Inscribing rumors of a guardian snake inside the treasury, Dasmohapatra made his clarification that there is no such obstacle and encouraged people to approach with pure intentions.

He advised the government to avoid weighing the stored valuables, recommending instead a count and resealing of the items, PTI reported.

A senior temple servitor explained that 'Ratna Bhandar' consists of three parts: the outer chamber holding ornaments used in rituals, the inner chamber housing unused jewelry, and other precious items donated by kings and devotees over centuries.

In 2018, then law minister Pratap Jena briefied the state Assembly that Ratna Bhandar contained over 12,831 bhari (one bhari equals 11.66 grams) of gold ornaments adorned with precious stones, along with 22,153 bhari of silver utensils and other items.