Bhubaneswar: A day after the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) completed repair and conservation work of the sacred Ratna Bhandar (treasury) of Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan Tuesday said the long-awaited inventory of valuables stored in the treasury may begin in August with the assistance of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Responding to a question on the next step after ASI’s conservation efforts, the minister said, “The inventory of the valuables in the Ratna Bhandar could be undertaken any time in August. The state government will soon write to the RBI, requesting it to deploy experts who have experience in auditing temple ornaments and treasures, such as at the Somnath Temple.”
The minister informed that the inner chamber of the Ratna Bhandar was last opened in 1978 — 46 years ago — when the inventory of gold ornaments and other valuables was conducted.
Since then, there has been a long-standing demand from the people of Odisha for a fresh inventory.
Fulfilling a major poll promise, the BJP-led state government recently constituted a high-level committee headed by retired Orissa High Court judge Justice Biswanath Rath to oversee the inventorisation of jewellery and other treasures stored in the Ratna Bhandar.
Harichandan said the state already possesses a record of the items listed in 1978 and that the upcoming stock-taking exercise will involve a thorough verification.
“We will match the current stock with the 1978 inventory to ensure accuracy. Experienced goldsmiths will be involved, and the process will include digital photography and cataloguing with details such as weight and make,” he said.
According to the 1978 inventory report, the Ratna Bhandar contains around 128 kg of gold and over 200 kg of silver, along with several ornaments that have gold coatings.
The minister also revealed that the state government plans to prepare a new set of gold and silver ornaments for the Trinity — Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra — for the Suna Besha ritual.
“Many devotees and servitors have expressed that the deities should be adorned with new jewellery, as the same ornaments have been used for a long time,” he said.
To support this initiative, the government will encourage public contributions.
“The government is contemplating appealing to devotees to donate gold for making a new set of ornaments for use during Suna Besha,” Harichandan said, adding, “The BJP government is committed to fulfilling its election promises.”
