Puri: The long-awaited opening of the Ratnabhandar, the revered treasury of Lord Jagannath’s temple, has finally taken place after 46 years. On Sunday, a 12-member committee undertook the task of inspecting and inventorying the Lord’s precious jewelry in a carefully coordinated operation.
The operation began with the opening of both the outer and inner Ratnabhandar houses. The outer treasury, which is a three-storied structure, was unlocked using keys held by the Mekap, the temple administration, and the Gajapati Maharaja. However, the three locks on the inner Ratnabhandar could not be opened with the available keys from the district treasury. Consequently, the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) team had to cut through the locks to gain access.
All activities were conducted under the supervision of a magistrate and were documented through videography. Despite the efforts, there wasn’t enough time to begin the transfer process of the inner treasury’s jewelry. This transfer will be scheduled after the Niladri Bije festival. Chief Administrator of the shrine, Arvind Padhi, stated that after assessing the condition of the jewels, necessary repairs will be made before they are returned to their original location.
Upon opening the treasuries, a significant amount of debris was discovered. The ornaments were carefully removed, placed in sacks, and stored back inside the Ratnabhandar.
An important meeting of the Ratnabhandar Inspection Committee took place earlier in the day, where members discussed the logistics of opening the treasury. The ritual of Lord Lokanath’s Ajnamala Bije and worship festival preceded the inspection, which commenced at approximately 1:28 PM with extensive security measures in place, including bomb squads, metal detectors, and snake helplines. The inspection and preliminary transfer of jewelry concluded around 5 PM.
Chief Administrator Padhi explained that the guidelines for opening the Ratnabhandar were strictly followed. Initially, an 11-member committee inspected the outer treasury, followed by a 12-member committee for the inner treasury. After opening the outer Ratnabhandar with the three keys held by the Gajapati Maharaja, Bhandar Mekap, and the temple administration, a temporary storage facility was set up at Changda and Phool Ghar near the Temple Beheran Gate, where the ornaments were shifted. The outer Ratnabhandar was then resealed in the presence of all members.
Regarding the inner treasury, Padhi mentioned that despite attempts to use keys brought from the district treasury, the locks did not open. Consequently, the committee, adhering to the guidelines, broke the locks to access the inner chamber. Inside, they found almirahs and arks, but due to time constraints, the transfer of jewelry could not proceed. The guidelines necessitate a full transfer, which requires a fully prepared temporary storage facility and strongroom.
Padhi clarified that the jewelry was not inspected in detail due to the limited time available. The next steps involve the Sunabesh and Niladri Bije festivals. Therefore, the inventory and transfer process will resume after these events, with a date to be decided in consultation with the government, the managing committee, and the Ratnabhandar Inspection Committee. The government has approved the establishment of additional temporary storages and strongrooms for this purpose.
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