Snake scare at Puri Ratna Bhandar

Do snakes guard treasuries in ancient temples? While movies on serpents protecting wealth inside shrines have hit the silver screens many times, authorities of Puri's Jagannath temple apprehend a real threat from reptiles of all sizes as they gear up to open the temple's Ratna Bhandar for an inventory after 46 years on July 14.

With the committee's apprehension evident, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has started a hunt for a skilled snake charmer who would be deployed in Ratna Bhandar to ensure the safety of people during its opening. Moreover, suppose a snake does manage to come close, a team of doctors will also be ready with a medicine kit. "We have sent a draft SOP on the opening of Ratna Bhandar to govt for approval, where we have sought deployment of a snake charmer and a doctor/team of doctors during the opening of the divine treasury," a senior SJTA official said.