September 22nd 2024.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has just completed its technical survey of the Ratna Bhandar, the treasury of Jagannath temple in Puri. According to officials, the survey, which was scheduled to take three days, was finished in just two days. Arabinda Padhee, the chief administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), revealed that the survey was conducted to determine if there were any hidden chambers or tunnels within the Ratna Bhandar.
During the survey, devotees were not allowed to have a 'darshan' of the deities between 1 pm and 6 pm. However, with the completion of the survey, there will be no restrictions on the entry of devotees from Monday onwards. The findings of the survey will be included in the ASI report, which is expected to be submitted to the government soon. Padhee also mentioned that the inventory of all the valuables and jewelry stored inside the treasury will be done after the ASI completes its conservation work.
The technical team for the survey included experts from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and the National Geophysical Research Institute in Hyderabad. Justice Biswanath Rath, the chairman of Ratna Bhandar Inventory Committee, also participated in the survey and expressed that the next course of action will be decided after receiving the ASI report.
Anand Kumar Pandey, a senior scientist from NGRI, shared that the survey was completed in just two days with the blessings of Lord Jagannath. He also mentioned that they have collected a vast amount of data and it will be processed and analyzed in seven phases before preparing the report.
This was the second round of the survey, with the first one being conducted on September 18. The preliminary inspection and laser scanning were done by a 17-member technical team from ASI, led by its Additional Director General Jahnavij Sharma. The SJTA had requested for the survey to be completed by September 24, considering the special rituals for the deities during Dussehra and the month of Kartika. The temple administration has already taken precautions by shifting all the valuables and jewelry to a temporary strong room within the temple premises.
All the activities during the survey were carried out following the Standard Operation Procedure of the state government. With the completion of the technical survey, the temple administration and devotees can now look forward to the upcoming rituals and festivities with a sense of peace and security.
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