Puri: The repair works at Ratna Bhandar of Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Puri will remain suspended for seven days from March 9.
This is being done to facilitate conduct of special rituals of the sibling deities in view of the Dola Jatra, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration informed on Friday.
— Shree Jagannatha Temple Office, Puri (@SJTA_Puri) March 7, 2025
On this occasion, the representative idols of the Lords – Gobinda, Bhudevi and Sridevi – are carried on Dola Vimanas (specially decorated palanquins) to Dola Mandap (alter), where servitors play Holi with the deities, keeping with the tradition. Sunabesha (golden attire ceremony) of the four deities Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Sudarshan is then held on Ratna Singhasana (the lotus shaped rostrum at the innermost chamber). A large number of devotees are expected throng the 12th-century shrine for darshan of the deities decked up in gold jewellery on Dolabedi.
In December last year, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) began the process of repairing Ratna Bhandar, which was opened after 46 years on July 14, 2024. The government has earlier given a time estimation of 3 months for completion of the work.
