ASI Team Begins Laser Scanning Of Ratna Bhandar In Puri Jagannath Temple

Puri: A 15-member team of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) started laser scanning of Ratna Bhandar (treasury) in Jagannath temple in Odisha’s Puri to detect damage on Tuesday.

The ASI team started the laser scanning on the outer wall of the Ratna Bhandar in presence of the members of technical core committee and management committee of the temple.

“We carried out the scanning at 37 points between Ghantidwar and Nabhikata Mandap inside the temple for nearly four hours. The north-east and north-west parts of the outer wall were scanned. The spots in northern parts will be scanned tomorrow. We had to stop the work due as night set in,” said NC Pal, member of core committee.

The ASI experts’ team would ascertain the cracks and damage to the Ratna Bhandar during the scanning. Every stone of the structure, which is a later addition to the 12th-century shrine, will be scanned for minute cracks. The team would submit its report on structural stability of the treasury within 15 days. The report will help in planning conservation of Ratna Bhandar.

Earlier, chief administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Ranjan Das had told the media that the ASI’s report would be reviewed by a technical expert team. A decision on taking up repair works will be taken accordingly, he added.

It may be noted that the ASI had written to the SJTA seeking permission to examine and conserve Ratna Bhandar in 2018 and 2022.