Jagannath Temple's Ratna Bhandar Reopened After 46 Years

The Ratna Bhandar, the treasury of the 12th-century Jagannath temple in Puri, Odisha, was reopened on Sunday afternoon after 46 years.

An 11-member committee, established by the Odisha government, entered the temple to reopen the revered treasury. The committee 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.'

Additionally, four temple servitors—Patjoshi Mohapatra, Bhandar Mekap, Chadhaukarana, and Deulikaran—were part of the group that entered the Ratna Bhandar.

The ritual of 'Agnya,' which seeks approval for reopening the Ratna Bhandar, was completed in the morning.

The Ratna Bhandar contains the precious ornaments of the sibling deities—Jagannath, Subhadra, and Balabhadra—donated by devotees and former kings over centuries. It is divided into the outer chamber (Bahara Bhandar) and the inner chamber (Bhitara Bhandar).

While the outer chamber of the shrine is occasionally opened, such as during the Suna Besha (golden attire) ritual during the annual Rath Yatra, the last inventory of the treasury was conducted in 1978.

Two teams of snake catchers were present at the temple, as it was suspected that snakes might be inside the treasury.

Ahead of the reopening, the committee established three Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the 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," an official told PTI.

The inventory work will begin after obtaining government approval for engaging valuers, goldsmiths, and other experts. The government also plans to create a digital catalogue of the valuables in the Ratna Bhandar, detailing their weight and make.