Puri Jagannath Temple’s Ratna Bhandar Inventory Begins After 46 Years
The sacred Ratna Bhandar of Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri has opened for a formal jewel inventory after nearly five decades.
The last such exercise was conducted in 1978.
The process, guided by a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), involves weighing, photographing, and documenting each ornament without assigning monetary value.
Experts, including gemologists, goldsmiths, RBI officials, and a jewel security team, are overseeing the exercise.
The counting began during an auspicious muhurat between 12:09 PM and 1:45 PM, ensuring temple rituals and devotees’ darshan remain unaffected.
At the end of each day, the Ratna Bhandar chambers will be sealed under the supervision of temple officials, magistrates, and representatives of the Gajapati Maharaja, with keys stored in the district treasury.
Digital cataloguing software is being used to record details, and the exercise will proceed in phases, excluding holidays, festivals, and weekends.
For millions of devotees, this inventory is not just administrative—it carries immense cultural and spiritual significance, reaffirming the temple’s heritage.
