Puri: Is there a tunnel or secret pathway inside Ratna Bhandar (the treasury) of Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Puri town?
Speaking to the media after taking stock of Bhitara Ratna Bhandar reopening, Puri Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb said that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will inform about the same after scanning the structure using high-sophisticated instruments. “The Ratna Bhandar will be handed over to the ASI once all valuables are shifted from the inner chamber by evening,” he told reporters.
Purported presence of a hidden tunnel connecting it to the Puri sea is among the several legends and myths, which add to the allure and mystery of Ratna Bhandar. This tunnel is said to have been used in ancient times to transport treasures securely. However, there is no concrete evidence to support this claim.
The chamber houses Lord Jagannath’s rarest of rare valuables. It was last opened was in 1985. An attempt to study the chamber in 2018 abruptly ended within 40 minutes as the keys were found missing.
Stating that conservation/repair of Ratna Bhandar of paramount importance, the Puri king further stated that the inventory of the jewels and valuables will be conducted after these are shifted back to the chambers in a phased manner on completion of the repair work.
Also Read: Valuables To Be Shifted Out Of Bhitara Ratna Bhadar By Evening: Puri Gajapati Maharaj
The last inventory in 1978 was conducted by committee headed by the then Governor of Odisha B D Sharma and it continued for a period of 70 days (May 13 to July 23).
An 11-member team reopened and entered the Bhitara Ratna Bhandar around 9.51 am. An ancillary team examined the almirahs and chests inside the inner chamber before the process to shift the valuables to the temporary strong room at Khata Seja Ghara, adjacent to the Ratna Bhandar outer chamber gate, inside the shrine complex, began.
Notably, several antique idols crafted from precious metals were found in the treasury’s inner chamber when government officials opened the Ratna Bhandar after 46 years on Sunday. These five to seven idols were not listed in any previous inventories and had turned black over the years. The committee members immediately lit a diya and worshipped the idols, Biswanath Rath, chairman of the 11-member committee set up to oversee the inventory of Ratna Bhandar, told TOI
These idols will also be moved to the temporary strong room. “Details involving weight and make of the idols can be ascertained only after inventory,” he added.
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