Puri: The first day of inventory of the most valuable ornaments of Lord Jagannath housed in the inner chamber of the Ratna Bhandar of the Shree Jagannath Temple concluded on Monday under stringent security arrangements, officials said.
The inner chamber—rarely accessed and not open to devotees—contains gold, diamonds, precious stones, silver, and other invaluable ornaments. The ongoing exercise marks the third phase of a comprehensive inventory process, which will resume on April 16.
The large-scale verification drive, being conducted after a gap of 48 years, began on March 25. While the first phase covered ornaments used in daily rituals, the second phase, conducted between April 8 and 11, focused on the outer chamber, where jewellery used during festivals is kept.
Officials said elaborate security measures were enforced by the Puri district police throughout the process. Multi-layered arrangements included strict access control, deployment of special striking forces at strategic points, and standby teams comprising executive magistrates, fire personnel, medical staff, and anti-sabotage units.
Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Chief Administrator Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee said the inventory is being carried out in accordance with a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) approved by the state government.
As per protocol, the Ratna Bhandar’s inner chamber was opened in the presence of a magistrate and authorised personnel after the keys were brought from the district treasury. After the day’s work, the keys were returned under police escort and redeposited in the treasury.
Monday’s inventory began at 12:25 pm and continued till 6 pm. All authorised individuals, including Padhee and the High-Level Committee Chairman Justice Biswanath Rath, underwent mandatory security screening before entering the chamber.
The Ratna Bhandar, located within the 12th-century shrine complex, spans around 60 square metres with a height of approximately 11.78 metres. While devotees cannot view the inner chamber’s contents, ornaments from the outer chamber are displayed during rituals such as the ‘Suna Bhesa’ during the annual Rath Yatra.
To ensure transparency, the entire process was documented through videography, photography, and 3D mapping. A digital catalogue of the ornaments was also prepared and stored securely.
Padhee said the valuables were cross-verified with the 1978 inventory records before undertaking the scientific cataloguing. Experts, including gemologists, were present to identify and classify the precious stones.
The inventory exercise will continue from April 16 to April 18. No work will be carried out on Tuesday due to the observance of Maha Vishuba Sankranti.
Temple authorities clarified that regular rituals are continuing without disruption, although devotees are currently allowed darshan from the ‘Bahara Katha’ (outer barricade) in view of security arrangements.
