Bhubaneswar: The date and modalities for opening of the Ratna Bhandar (treasure trove) of the Shree Jagannath Temple will be announced very soon, informed Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan.
“The government is in the process of deciding on the Ratna Bhandar. We will give a clear picture of the date and modalities very soon. The date of opening and modalities to be followed will be announced soon. But definitely, the Ratna Bhandar will be opened and an inventory of its contents made,” said Harichandan speaking to reporters.
The Ratna Bhandar, situated near the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, is arguably the most precious property of the temple that contains several priceless jewelleries of the shrine including diamonds, gold and silver. According to the rules and practices of the temple, all the gold and jewels offered to Lord Jagannath are to be stored in the two chambers of Ratna Bhandar – the inner chamber and the outer chamber.
Though the outer chamber is opened for various rituals of deities and the jewelleries and valuables stored there are used during Suna Besha of Lord Jagannath, the inner chamber has not been opened since 1978 when it was last opened for inventory. As per the Jagannath Temple Act, there has to be an audit of all the valuables kept in the inner chamber of the Ratna Bhandar every three years.
However, there has been no proper audit of the inner chamber of Ratna Bhandar since 1978. According to ‘Madala Panji’, the official chronicle of the temple, King Anangabhima Dev had donated a little more than 250 kilograms of gold for preparing Lord Jagannath’s gold ornaments.
