Puri: The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) started the much-awaited repair and renovation work of Ratna bhandar of Puri Srimandir on Tuesday. The repair work will proceed as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by the Odisha government.
The repair work will take place under the supervision of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and temple experts. Teams of conservators, chemical experts, medical professionals, Fire Services officials and the special ASI team are engaged in the repair and renovation work of the Ratna Bhandar.
Speaking to the media, Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said that the repair work has started and will be completed within three months. “The ASI has given us a time frame of three months to complete the work, but we have urged them to finish the task earlier,” he said.
According to the minister, a specific time has been fixed for the repair and renovation work of the Ratna Bhandar and it will not affect the rituals at the temple or the darshan of the devotees.
Meanwhile, ASI authorities said that on the first day today they will undertake some repair work but will mainly observe the timings of the rituals so that their work does not affect the rituals of Lord Jagannath and his Holy Siblings.
During the repair works, devotees visiting the temple can have darshan from outside the ‘Bahara Katha’. Every day the repair work will go on for 5 hours after the second Bhoga mandapa. The work will start daily from 12.30 pm or 1.00 pm and continue till 6.00 pm.
At first the iron pillars will be erected to provide structural support for the repair work. Then the plaster from the chambers will be removed. Subsequently, the iron beams and rock work will be completed. Work on both the outer and the inner Ratna Bhandar will continue simultaneously.
