Jagannath Temple's Ratna Bhandar opens today after over 40 years

Puri: The Ratna Bhandar , the treasure trove of Shri Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Puri, has opened on Sunday following the state government’s approval yesterday.

The Ratna Bhandar gets opened after more than forty years to make a list of the valuables including jewellery.

Special boxes were brought to temple in keeping with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) set by the state government.

Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Chief Arabinda Padhee said that Ratna Bhandar is being opened in accordance with the guidelines.

Arabinda Padhee reportedly said: ‘Odisha government has approved the SOP for opening the Ratna Bhandar. As per the decision, today the Ratna Bhandar is being opened as per set guidelines. Authorised representatives from the various 'sewa' groups, officials from the ASI, representatives of Shri Gajapati Maharaj and others would be there. The entire proceedings will be video recorded for our records, not for publicity and will be strictly confidential.’

The SOP has set three steps in opening and inventorizing the valuables in the treasure trove, according to the official.

‘There are three steps to the SOP: The first is the opening of the outer ratna bhandar. For the inner Ratna Bhandar, there is another set of guidelines. There is also a temporary, strong room... Once the shift from Ratna Bhandar to the strong room has been made, we will inventory the valuables. We seek the blessings of Mahaprabhu that the Ratna Bhandar gets opened easily, and the subsequent steps will follow,’ Padhee was quoted as saying.

Puri SP Pinak Mishra said that all security arrangements have made in view of the opening of the Ratna Bhandar, adding that ‘QRT has been deployed in all important places. In addition, we have placed a contingency arrangement and all plans are in place... The daily rituals being held in the temple will be held as usual... Only identified servitors who have their duty today will be allowed inside the temple."

Sudarshan Patnaik, sand artist and member of the inspection committee, responded to the Ratna Bhandar opening, saying the government has prepared the entire SOP and the treasure will be opened today.

"After the High Court order, ASI wrote a letter to the temple management committee to hand it over as soon as possible because it is very important to repair it, so I wrote a letter to our chairman of the Jagannath Temple Committee in this regard... The government has given importance to the repair part and the government has prepared the entire SOP and today the Ratna Bhandar will open,’ Sudarshan Patnaik was quoted as saying.

The treasury of the 12 th century shrine was last opened in 1978.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which looks after the temple, will carry out repair works of the Ratna Bhandar.