Schedule Of Rituals In Puri Jagannath Temple Revised For Ratna Bhandar Inspection On Sept 18

Puri: Shree Jaganath Temple Administration (SJTA) in Odisha’s Puri on Saturday issued a revised schedule of rituals and visit of devotees due to inspection of Ratna Bhandar by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on September 18.

As per the changed schedule, Singhadwar (Lions’ Gate) of the Jagannath temple will be opened to the devotees at 2 am. Mangal Arati will be performed at 3 am, Mailam and Tadapalagi at 3.30 am and Abakasha at 4.30 pm.

After a break of two hours for the rituals, Gopalballav puja will be performed at 6.30 am, Sakaladhupa from 7 am to 8.30 am, first Bhogamandap from 9 to 10.30 am and second Bhogamandap from 1 pm to 2 pm.

Speaking to the media Puri collector Siddharth Shankar Swain said the entry of devotees for darshan of the deities will be stopped from 2 pm till the inspection work of Ratna Bhandar is completed. However, the devotees can go directly to Anand Bazaar through Singhadwar to purchase Mahaparasad, he added.

The ASI officials along with Hyderabad-based CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute (CSIR-NGRI) will carry out a preliminary examination of Ratna Bhandar (treasury) on the day. While a technical team of ASI will conduct a non-invasive technical assessment of the treasury to determine damages in the structure, CSIR-NGRI experts will examine the chambers to ascertain the geo-physical equipment, light and other elements required for conducting ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey in the treasury.

The inspection will be conducted as per the standard operating procedure (SOP) approved by the state government.

Earlier, all the jewellery of Lords had been removed from Ratna Bahandar and kept in a temporary strong room under strict security. Later, the almirah and boxes were also removed from inside the temple treasury.