After 46 years, the revered treasury of the Jagannath temple in Puri, which dates back to the 12th century, was reopened on Sunday. The purpose of the reopening was to conduct an inventory of assets and to repair the construction of the treasury, according to officials.
According to the members of the committee that had been established by the state government for the purpose of reopening the treasury, they entered the temple at approximately midday and performed rituals before the treasury was reopened.
Within the context of the most recent assembly elections that took place in the state, the reopening of the Ratna Bhandar emerged as a significant political issue.
The Bharatiya Janata Party had stated that it would make attempts to reopen the treasury if it won the elections. This promise was made in response to the fact that the Biju Janata Dal, which was in power at the time, had lost its keys.
In a post on X in Odia, the Chief Minister’s Office stated that “on the wish of Lord Jagannath, the Odia community, with the identity of ‘Odia Asmita,’ has started making efforts to move forward.” This statement was made in reference to the Odia community.
“In accordance with your request, the four entrances to the Jagannath temples were opened early. “Today, on your wish, the Ratna Bhandar was opened after 46 years for a greater purpose,” it wrote in the message, which was uploaded at 1.28 p.m., an auspicious moment decided to reopen the treasury. “Thank you for your support.”
There were eleven individuals there when the Treasury was reopened, according to officials. Among those individuals were a former judge of the Orissa High Court named Biswanath Rath, the main administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration named Arabinda Padhee, the superintendent of the ASI named DB Gadanayak, and a representative of Puri’s titular king known as the “Gajapati Maharaja.”
Moreover, according to them, there were four servants consisting of Patjoshi Mohapatra, Bhandar Mekap, Chadhaukarana, and Deulikaran. These individuals were responsible for carrying out the ceremonies.
Before entering the temple, Padhee stated that the inventory of assets would not be carried out immediately, despite the fact that the treasury had been unsealed.
In accordance with his statement, the ornaments and other treasures that were stored in the inner and outer chambers of the Treasury would be transferred to a temporary strong room in the form of wooden chests.
According to him, the temporary strong room has been located, and all of the necessary preparations, such as the installation of surveillance cameras, have been made.
Today is not the day that the inventory job will begin. Following the receipt of the government’s approval for the employment of valuers, goldsmiths, and other specialists, it will be carried out. It will be our first priority to make certain that the structure of the Treasury is preserved in a secure manner. Immediately following the conclusion of the repair work, the valuables will be returned, and then the procedure for inventory will be carried out,” he went on to say.
According to Padhee, there were three keys to the outside room that were available. One of the keys was given to the Gajapati Maharaj, another was given to the SJTA, and the third was given to a particular servant.
The original key to the inner chamber, which was missing, will be sealed after the opening of the chamber, and the replacement key will be stored in the district treasury under the supervision of the collector, according to what he said.
Six boxes made of wood and lined with brass were brought to the temple in order to transport the valuables containing them.
According to a statement made by an official, the chests were constructed out of teak wood and measured 4.5 feet in length, 2.5 feet in height, and 2.5 feet around.
On July 12, the authority of the temple had requested that we construct fifteen chests of this kind. One of the laborers who created the chests stated that they had finished making six chests after working for a total of forty-eight hours.
The last time the Treasury was opened was in 1978.
In the early morning hours, Justice Rath and Padhee went to the Gundicha temple to pray for the successful completion of the works. They did so in front of Lord Jagannath and his siblings.
During the Rath Yatra that took place on July 7, the idols of the sibling deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra are currently located in the Gundicha temple. When they were transferred there, they were brought there. In the next week, during the Bahuda Yatra, they will be returned to the shrine that dates back to the 12th century.
Specifically, Padhee stated that Standard Operating Procedures have been developed for the entirety of the procedure.
“Three standard operating procedures have been developed. The first one is connected to the reopening of the Ratna Bhandar, the second one is for the management of the interim Ratna Bhandar, and the third one is connected to the inventory of the assets,” he explained.
Another official stated that the government has made the decision to create a digital catalogue of the jewels that are located in the Ratna Bhandar. This catalogue would include information such as the weight and the manufacturer of the valuables.
During the course of the restoration work, structural engineers, mechanical engineers, and civil engineers will inspect the Ratna Bhandar, according to Gadanayak of the ASI company.
It was also discovered that there were snakes inside the treasure, which believers believe are protecting the valuables. This information was obtained during the investigation.
Subhendu Mallick, a member of the Snake Helpline, stated that the organization had arrived at this location per the directive of the state government. One of the teams of snake catchers is located inside the temple, while the other is located outside of the temple. Every single one of the administration’s directives will be adhered to by us.