Puri : Bhitara (Inner Chamber) Ratna Bhandar of Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Puri will be reopened again on July 18, Justice Biswanath Rath, chairman of the supervisory committee, said on Tuesday.
“We will again open the locks and go inside Bhitara Ratna Bhandar between 9.51 am and 12.15 pm on July 18. The valuables in the inner chamber will be shifted to the temporary store room and the ASI members will also be given some time to take stock of its structural stability. The entire event will be video-graphed,” he told reporters after a meeting of the 16-member high-level committee headed by him.
The inner chamber of the Treasury of the Lords was reopened after 46 years by cutting open three locks on Sunday. The team saw boxes and almirahs (both steel and wooden), wooden chests and boxes (lying on the floor), but decided unanimously to shift the jewellery on another date to the designated strong room as the administration had to focus on Bahuda Yatra and Suna Besha.
Notably, valuables from the outer chamber have been shifted to a temporary strong room in Changda Mekap's room inside the temple premises in four wooden chests.
The treasury housing invaluable ornaments, was unlocked at the auspicious time (Subha Bela) of 1:28 pm on July 14. The outer chamber of the Ratna Bhandar was opened first, it was learned. Special boxes were brought to the temple to shift the ornaments to a temporary strong room. Efforts were also underway to open the inner chamber.
As per reports, the inspection of the Ratna Bhandar will be done today, marking a significant event in the temple's governance and historical preservation efforts. CM Mohan Majhi took to social media and expressed his joy at the opening of the treasure trove of Lord Jagannath. Taking to X handle, Majhi offered prayers to Lord Jagannath seeking blessings for the 4.5 crore people of Odisha. He also expressed his confidence that the endeavour and the noble purpose behind opening the Ratna Bhandar will be a great success.
As per reports, a total of 11 members entered the Ratna Bhandar including two from the inspection committee to oversee the opening of the treasure trove. Among the 11 people who entered the temple to reopen its revered treasury are former Orissa HC judge Biswanath Rath, Shree Jagannath Temple Administrator (SJTA) chief administrator Arabinda Padhee, ASI Superintendent DB Gadanayak and a representative of Puri’s titular king Gajapati Maharaja. The SJTA led by the chief administrator is overseeing the operation.
