Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) will prepare three sets of wooden caskets to store the valuable items kept inside the Bhitara Ratna Bhandar after their counting and documentation, SJTA Chief Administrator Dr Arabinda Kumar Padhee said on Monday.
Padhee said the temple administration on Monday measured the existing wooden boxes kept inside the inner Ratna Bhandar to ensure that suitable caskets are prepared for storing the valuables after the counting process.
“There are some valuable items kept in wooden boxes inside the Bhitara Ratna Bhandar. Today, we took measurements of these caskets,” Padhee said while speaking to the media.
He said the measurements were necessary as the valuables would undergo detailed documentation during the counting process, including weighing, measurement, 3D mapping, photography and videography.
“After the counting process is completed, when we have to place the valuables back inside the Bhitara Ratna Bhandar, the wooden boxes or caskets that will be used for storing them have to be prepared accordingly,” he said.
The SJTA chief administrator said the State Government has also approved an additional Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the counting of valuables kept inside the wooden boxes.
According to Padhee, it may not be possible to count some of the valuables inside the Bhitara Ratna Bhandar because of their large size. Such items will subsequently be brought to the ‘Khata Seja Ghara’, where their weighing, photography, videography and 3D mapping will be carried out.
“We do not know exactly what the valuable items contain. Whenever the counting of these valuable items begins, they will be brought to the Khata Seja Ghara,” Padhee said.
The valuables will then be placed in the newly prepared caskets and returned to the Bhitara Ratna Bhandar after the documentation process is completed.
Padhee said Monday’s exercise was carried out transparently and in accordance with the SOP approved by the State Government. Authorised persons, including servitors, Justice Biswanath Rath, Chairman of the High-Level Committee, the Chhatisa Nijog Nayak, members of the Managing Committee, the District Magistrate and other officials were present during the exercise.
A gemologist specialising in precious stones and gems also assisted the temple administration during the process.
Assuring devotees about the safety of the valuables, Padhee said, “All the valuable ornaments belonging to the Lord are completely safe and secure.”
He further said the items matched the 1978 inventory when compared with the earlier list.
“The items are matching completely. Therefore, we express our gratitude to the people who had carried out the earlier matching and counting process,” Padhee said.
The counting exercise on Monday was completed at 6:55 PM and will resume on September 1 after the ‘Sakala Dhupa’.
Padhee said it was not possible to specify at this stage when the entire counting and documentation process would be completed and urged devotees to remain patient.
He added that the media would be informed about the next phase once the counting process resumes on September 1.
