Puri: The repair and conservation of the Ratna Bhandar at the Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Puri town will be completed in a month, Inspection Committee Chairman Justice Biswanath Rath informed on Friday.
The committee is responsible for the inventorization and conservation of the treasures in the Ratna Bhandar of the 12th-century shrine.
“The temple administration and the ASI are making all efforts for early completion of the work, which is being carried out meticulously to secure the structure of the treasury for another 75 and 100 years. Repair of Bhitara Bhandar is almost complete.The walls were badly damaged. Five worn-out beams connecting inner and outer bhandar have been replaced with sturdy steel one,” he told a local channel.
He further stated that work on Bahara Bhandar has begun. “The work is occasionally getting affected due to rituals for the upcoming Rath Yatra. However, almost 3-4 hours of work is being put in almost every day. After Snan Purima and during Patti Seva, we won’t be able to undertake any work. Therefore, efforts are on to complete the work by Akshaya Tritiya (April 30),” he said.
Justice Rath said that the process of relocating the jewels and ornaments will begin once the repair work is completed. “The state government will then issue a standard operating procedure for Ratna Bhandar inventorisation,” he added.
