July 6th 2024.
Bhubaneswar: The state government of Odisha has formed a high-level committee to oversee the management of the Shree Jagannath Temple. Their main task is to conduct a detailed inventory of the valuable items, including jewelry, stored in the temple's 'Ratna Bhandar'. The committee has scheduled a meeting on July 9th to determine the date for reopening the treasury.
The chairman of the high-level committee, Justice Biswanath Rath, informed the media about the committee's first meeting in Puri on Saturday. He stated, "After examining the available documents and records, we discovered that a duplicate key to the Ratna Bhandar is kept in the Puri government treasury. Therefore, we have decided to hold another meeting on July 9th to discuss the reopening of the Ratna Bhandar."
The chief administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration, who is also a member of the committee, has been asked to present the duplicate key before the next meeting. Justice Rath explained that since the inner chamber of the treasury has not been accessed in many years, the lock on the door may not be functional. As a precaution, the committee will prepare a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) with the government's approval to break the lock in such a situation.
It was also noted in the meeting that the repair work cannot begin without first moving the jewelry and other valuable items stored in the treasury. The committee has asked the temple managing committee to decide on proper storage for these items during the repair work. Justice Rath added that the SOP will also include an inventory of the valuable items as soon as they are moved to a secure location.
During the previous inventory conducted in the treasury, experts from Hyderabad and Chennai were brought in. Justice Rath mentioned that this time as well, the managing committee will decide on the experts responsible for the thorough inventory of the Jagannath temple's ornaments. He expressed hope that the repair work and shifting of the items can be completed before the annual Rath Yatra, when Lord Jagannath and his siblings return to the temple.
The reopening of the Ratna Bhandar was a major political issue in the state during the recent elections. The BJP, which won the elections, had promised to reopen the treasury for necessary repairs and inventory. The Ratna Bhandar has remained closed for the past 46 years, since it was last opened in 1978.
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