Ahead of the reopening, the committee established three Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the entire process...
Digital Desk: The Ratna Bhandar, the treasury of the 12th-century Jagannath temple in Odisha's Puri, was reopened on Sunday afternoon after 46 years.
Members of an 11-member committee set up by the Odisha government entered the Jagannath temple to reopen its revered treasury. The team included former Orissa High Court judge Biswanath Rath, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) chief administrator Arabinda Padhee, ASI Superintendent DB Gadanayak, and a representative of Puri's titular king, 'Gajapati Maharaja.'
Four temple servitors—Patjoshi Mohapatra, Bhandar Mekap, Chadhaukarana, and Deulikaran—were also among those who entered the Ratna Bhandar. The ritual of 'Agnya,' in which approval is sought for the reopening of the Ratna Bhandar, was completed in the morning.
The Ratna Bhandar holds the precious ornaments of the sibling deities—Jagannath, Subhadra, and Balabhadra—donated by devotees and erstwhile kings through centuries. It is divided into the outer chamber (Bahara Bhandar) and the inner chamber (Bhitara Bhandar). While the outer chamber of the 12th-century shrine is opened on occasions such as the Suna Besha (golden attire) ritual during the annual Rath Yatra, the last time an inventory of the treasury was done was in 1978.
Two teams of snake catchers were present at the temple as the committee members entered the treasure trove, anticipating the presence of snakes inside the treasury. Ahead of the reopening, the committee established three Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the entire process.
"Three SOPs have been made. One is related to the reopening of the Ratna Bhandar, the second for the management of the temporary Ratna Bhandar, and the third one is related to the inventory of the valuables," PTI quoted an official as saying. "The inventory work will not start today. It will be done after getting approval from the government on the engagement of valuers, goldsmiths, and other experts," the official added.
The government has decided to prepare a digital catalogue of the valuables in the Ratna Bhandar, detailing their weight and make.
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