After 4 decades, Puri Jagannath Temple’s treasure trove opened today

Shree Jaganna Temple Administration (SJTA) chief administrator Arabinda Padhi said the committee that entered the inner treasury only conducted an inspection and came back because of lack of adequate time.

“We first opened the outer Ratna Bhandar as per the standard operating procedure and shifted all the jewellery and other valuables to the temporary strongroom made within the temple premises. Then we entered the inner Ratna Bhandar after breaking three locks as the existing keys didn’t work. We have locked it (the inner Bhandar) again,” Padhi told reporters.

Devotees during the reopening of Ratna Bhandar at the Jagannath Temple in Puri on Sunday. (PTI)

He said since it would take a lot of time to shift the entire valuables of the inner Ratna Bhandar and they can’t shift a portion of it, as per the SOP, another date will be decided for the process.

“For the administration, the focus now is to ensure smooth conduct of the Bahuda Yatra (return car festival of lords), which is scheduled for Monday, and conducting other rituals. After Niladri Bije (an occasion when the deities are taken to the sanctum sanctorum of their temple again after the Rath Yatra), we will decide a date to carry out the remaining process,” said Padhi.

The entire process of entry into the Ratna Bhandar was videographed for future reference and to create a digital catalogue.

Justice Biswanath Rath, the chairman of the high-level committee formed by the Odisha government to supervise the opening of Ratna Bhandar and inventory process, also went inside the inner Ratna Bhandar. He said there was nothing abnormal inside and also ruled out the speculation about the presence of serpents inside the chamber.

“There was absolutely no truth in the gossip about the presence of serpents and creatures. Please don’t believe in any kind of rumours. All the members went inside with sound health and mind and returned back without getting hurt,” Rath told reporters.

Though the administration had kept snake experts and a medical team on standby, their services were not needed, said officials.

The team which went inside the inner Ratna Bhandar comprised the chief administrator of SJTA, Puri Collector, ASI Superintendent (Odisha circle), a member of the Ratna Bhandar sub-committee of the SJTA, two members from the high-level committee, a representative of Gajapati Maharaj (Puri’s erstwhile royal) and four people from the temple servitors’ community.

Two chambers

The precious ornaments of the sibling deities — Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra — donated by devotees and erstwhile kings over centuries are stored in the Ratna Bhandar of the 12th century shrine. It is located within the temple and has two chambers — Bhitar Bhandar (inner chamber) and Bahara Bhandar (outer chamber).

While the outer chamber is opened regularly to fetch ornaments for the deities during the Suna Besha (event when the deities are adorned with golden jewellery) — a key ritual during the annual Rath Yatra, and also during other major festivals throughout the year — the last inventory of the Ratna Bhandar was done in 1978. The treasury was opened again in 1985, no fresh inventory was done then.

According to officials, when the inner Ratna Bhandar will be opened again after Niladri Bije, all the jewellery and valuables will be shifted to another temporary strongroom. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the custodian of the temple, will then inspect the structural safety of the inner Ratna Bhandar and necessary repair work will be carried out.

“After the repair works, the jewellery will be shifted back to the Ratna Bhandar. Thereafter, we will start the inventory of valuables,” said Padhi.