The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will open the ‘ratna bhandar’ of Shree Jagannath Mandir, which houses all the deities’ treasures, for inspection after July 8.
Dibishada Brajasundar Garnayak, the superintending archaeologist of ASI’s Puri circle, told the media that permission had been sought from the high court-appointed committee to carry out inspection and repair works after the opening of both the outer and inner chambers of the ratna bhandar.
The ASI officer mentioned that all treasures from both chambers of the ‘ratna bhandar’ would need to be removed for the ASI to inspect and conduct required repairs without obstruction. The inner chamber, known as the ‘bhitar bhandar’ of the ‘ratna bhandar’, had remained sealed since 1978, when the last comprehensive inventory of gold and silver ornaments, precious stones, and priceless articles was conducted.
Since this year’s Rath Yatra falls on July 7 and July 8, the ‘ratna bhandar’, situated next to the temple’s ‘jagamohan’ (prayer hall), will be opened on or after July 8.
The ASI conducted a laser scan of the ‘bhitar bhandar’ last year from outside the chamber, revealing cracks in the outer wall and joints. Experts speculate that rainwater could have penetrated through these cracks, causing damage to the structure.
The treasures stored in the ‘bhitar bhandar’ are never used, whereas those in the ‘bahar bhandar’ are used to adorn the deities and for various rituals during important ceremonies.
The two chambers house a total of 149 kilograms of gold ornaments and objects, along with 258 kilograms of silver ornaments and articles. Specifically, the ‘bhitar bhandar’ contains 120 kilograms of gold ornaments and objects, and 220 kilograms of silver ornaments and articles.
In June 2018, a controversy arose when the Puri district collector, who holds the keys to the ‘bhitar bhandar’, reported them missing. The then Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had ordered a judicial inquiry into the matter, but the findings were never disclosed to the public.
Shortly after the judicial inquiry was initiated, a duplicate set of keys mysteriously surfaced, sparking another controversy due to the unknown existence of such duplicates before. The issue of the missing keys to the ‘bhitar bhandar’ became prominent during the recent Lok Sabha election campaign. The BJP accused the BJD Government of hiding the keys in order to avoid an audit of the treasures in the bhitar bhandar.
After the bhitar bhandar is emptied out for inspection and necessary repairs, a comprehensive audit of the treasures may be conducted.
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