Jagannath Temple Ratna Bhandar inner treasury inventory resumes on May 11

Bhubaneswar: Counting of jewels and ornaments in the ‘Bhitara Bhandar’ (inner treasury) of the Ratna Bhandar of Jagannath Temple in Puri will resume from Monday, temple’s chief administrator Arabinda Padhee said. The process will continue for two days.

The inventory of the Bhitara Bhandar was earlier halted due to Bahara Chandan Yatra.

“During the Bahara Chandan Yatra, counting was not possible as it would have affected the rituals of the deities. As the Bhitara Chandan Yatra will begin after ‘Bhaunri’ ritual today (Saturday), the inventory work of the Bhitara Ratna Bhandar will be carried out on May 11 and 12,” Padhee said, adding the process will resume again after a gap of a week or 10 days.

The inventory of the Chalanti Bhandar and Bahara Bhandar has already been completed, while the process in the inner treasury began on April 14. About 20% of the jewels and valuables were inventoried before the exercise was suspended for the Chandan Yatra.

Padhee said the SOP mandates that the rituals of the deities and darshan by devotees should not be affected because of the inventory work.

While efforts are being made to complete the process before Snana Purnima, Padhee said it would not be possible to specify an exact completion date at this stage.

“The process is a slow one, as all the ornaments are being photographed, videographed, 3D-scanned and e-catalogued,” he said.

Bania servitors of the temple, gem experts and RBI officials remain present during the inventory.