High-Level Panel Holds 1st Meeting, Examines Suitable Time For Puri Jagannath Temple Ratna Bhandar Inventory

Puri: The high-level committee formed by the Odisha government to supervise the process of inventory of valuables in the Ratna Bhandar (treasury) of Jagannath Temple in Puri was held in the pilgrim town on Saturday.

The meeting, chaired by former Supreme Court judge Justice Arijit Pasaya, was held at the office of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) in the afternoon.

The meeting held discussion on several issues, including suitable time for opening of the Ratna Bhandar of the 12th century shrine for complete inventory of valuables stored in the treasury, sources said.

Justice Pasayat, who is on a four-day Odisha visit, said that very less number of devotees usually visit the Jagannath Temple after Snana Purnima when the sibling deities get confined to ‘anasar pindi.’

It may be convenient to open the Ratna Bhandar for inventory during that period. The committee is also examining the 1978 report on the Ratna Bhandar inventory. Use of advanced technology and other instruments like cameras for taking pictures of the inner chamber can also be considered. Preliminary discussion was held on these aspects and future course of action will be decided, he said.

Stating that there exists a readymade list of ornaments which needs to be examined. The counting of the valuables was done in 1926 during the British Raj and then in 1978. Then minor verifications were done in 1982 and 1985.”

Notably, the Odisha government formed the 12-member high-level committee on February 29 following the recent order of the Orissa High Court. Justice Pasayat was appointed the chairman of the panel with eminent heart surgeon Ramakant Panda as its deputy chairman. Members of the committee also include former CMD of Allahabad Bank Bidhubhusan Samal, Chartered Accountant A K Sabat, Puri Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb’s representative, a representative of the ASI, representatives of servitors and the Deputy Chief Administrator of SJTA. The Chief Administrator of SJTA is the member convener of the panel.

It may be noted here that the Ratna Bhandar of Jagannath Temple was last opened for an inventory in 1978.