Puri: The long-awaited inventory of the Ratna Bhandar of the Jagannath Temple began Wednesday after a gap of 48 years, officials said.
According to the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), authorised personnel entered the temple around 11.30 am, dressed in traditional dhoti and gamchha.
The inventory exercise commenced during the designated auspicious window between 12.09 pm and 1.45 pm, with access restricted to authorised individuals only, officials said.
The exercise would not disrupt daily rituals at the 12th-century shrine. Devotees have been allowed darshan from the ‘Bahar KathA’ (outer barricade inside the temple), while access to the ‘Bhitara Katha’ remains restricted during the process, they said.
As per the SOP framed by the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee (SJTMC) and approved by the state government, the inventory will begin with ornaments used for daily rituals, followed by the opening of the outer chamber and finally the inner chamber of the Ratna Bhandar.
The last inventory, conducted between May 13 and July 23, 1978, documented 454 gold-mixed items weighing 128.38 kg and 293 silver-mixed items weighing 221.53 kg, along with several precious stones.
While the 1978 exercise took 72 days, officials said the current process will be completed faster with the use of modern technology.
Two gemologists are assisting in identification, and each item is being digitally photographed. Gold ornaments are being wrapped in yellow cloth, silver in white, and other items in red before being stored in six specially prepared chests, they said.
Temple servitors, government bank officials, gemologists and representatives of the RBI are participating in the inventory process, they added.
