Puri: In a significant move, the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee on Friday recommended opening of the Ratna Bhandar of the 12th century shrine in Odisha’s Puri during Rath Yatra next year.
The Managing Committee, which held an important meeting at the seaside pilgrim town today, decided to urge the state government to allow the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to open and repair the Ratna Bhandar during Rath Yatra in 2024.
Giving this information after the Managing Committee meeting, Puri Collector Samarth Verma told reporters that the decision was taken after the ASI wrote a letter to the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) requesting permission to conduct a survey of the Ratna Bhandar.
Stating that the ASI had sent a letter to the Chief Administrator of the SJTA to inspect the Ratna Bhandar, the Collector said they want inspection of the Ratna Bhandar during Rath Yatra when the sibling deities are out on their nine-day sojourn to the Gundicha Temple.
After a detailed discussion, the managing committee agreed to send a recommendation letter to the state government to allow the ASI to inspect the Ratna Bhandar during the next Rath Yatra, he said.
Meanwhile, a technical committee will be formed which will include members of the managing committee, some servitors, and members of the ASI which will use modern scientific methods to assess the condition of the outer Ratna Bhandar. The ASI will present the report of the inspection in the next managing committee meeting, Verma said.
The Managing Committee decided to send a formal request the state government to form a high-level committee with a retired judge of the Supreme Court or High Court to supervise the entire operation of reopening and repair of the inner Ratna Bhandar, the Collector added.
The decision of the Temple Managing Committee assumes significance as it comes in the wake of growing demand for opening the Ratna Bhandar of Jagannath Temple from different circles. Apart from opposition BJP and Congress, several socio-cultural organisations have also been demanding steps to open the treasury and do complete inventory.
The Ratna Bhandar was last opened and complete inventory done in 1978. Though it was again opened in April 2018., the 16-member team including experts of the ASI had entered only the outer chamber. They could not go to the inner chamber as its key was missing. They inspected the structure from a distance and reported that its condition was weak.
It may be noted here that the SJTA, in an affidavit filed before the Orissa High Court, has reportedly stated that the Ratna Bhandar of the shrine was opened and complete inventory done in 1978. The treasury was estimated to have around 1.5 quintal gold and over 184 kg silver, it said.
The inner chamber of the Ratna Bhandar has 50 kg 600 grams of gold ornaments and 134 kg 50 grams of silver ornaments.
Similarly, the outer chamber has 95 kg 320 grams of gold ornaments and 19 kg & 480 grams of silver ornaments. Ornaments stored in the outer chamber are used for the sibling deities during different festivals. Around 3 kg gold and 30 kg silver ornaments are used while performing different rituals of the deities.
