Ratna Bhandar reopened for shifting valuables

Puri: The Ratna Bhandar, the revered treasury of the 12th-century Jagannath temple in Puri, was reopened on Thursday for the second time in a week for shifting of valuables to a temporary strong room. The treasury was reopened at 9.51 am.

The treasury was opened last time on July 14 after 46 years. On that day, the ornaments and other valuables of outer chamber of Ratna Bhandar were shifted to a strong room.

Puri’s titular King Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, who inspected the shifting of valuables to the temporary strong room on the temple premises, said, “The ‘Khatasheja’ (store room) is being used as the temporary strong room. The valuables from the inner chamber of Ratna Bhandar will be shifted to the ‘Khatasheja’ room, amid tight security."

"The shifting of valuables from inner chamber is expected to be completed by evening. The temporary strong room will be sealed and repair work of Ratna Bhandar will be taken up by the ASI," he said.