The revered ‘Ratna Bhandar’ of the 12th-century Jagannath temple in Puri, Odisha, was unlocked after 46 years on Sunday, marking a significant event in the history of the temple. The treasury, which houses invaluable ornaments, jewels, and other precious artifacts offered to Lord Jagannath over the centuries, was unlocked at 1:28 pm during the auspicious ‘Suba Bela’. A committee of 11 members, appointed by the Odisha government, including former Orissa High Court judge Biswanath Rath, SJTA chief administrator Arabinda Padhee, ASI Superintendent DB Gadanayak, and a representative of Puri’s titular king, Gajapati Maharaja, entered the temple to facilitate the reopening of the revered treasury. Special boxes were brought in to shift the valuables to a temporary strong room in preparation for the inventory process. The decision to unlock the Ratna Bhandar was made after a high-level committee, led by Justice Biswanath Rath, formulated standard operating procedures to guide the inventory process and ensure transparency. Representatives from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) were present to support the inventory team, and digital photography of the ornaments was done for reference purposes. The Ratna Bhandar, which comprises the Bahara Bhandar and Bhitara Bhandar, holds the precious ornaments of Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Balabhadra. A total of 454 gold articles and 293 silver articles were documented in the last inventory conducted in 1978. The opening of the Ratna Bhandar after 46 years was a monumental event that garnered widespread attention and marked a crucial step in the preservation of the temple’s historic treasures.
