Puri: Former Judge of the Supreme Court, Arijit Pasayat, Saturday presided over the first meeting of all committee members to chalk out procedures before the opening of the Bhitar Ratna Bhandar of the Sri Jagannath Temple.
Justice Pasayat has been appointed by the Odisha government as the Chairman of a 12-member committee to open the Ratna Bhandar of the Sri Jagannath Temple and prepare an inventory of the wealth of the deities.
He inquired about the modalities adopted during the opening of the Ratna Bhandar of Sri Jagannath Temple in 1978 on Saturday. Justice Pasayat also inquired about the occasions when the Ratna Bhandar was opened. The committee members wanted to see the 1978 list of inventories of ornaments and jewels of the deities.
As per the direction of the Orissa High Court, the state government has constituted a twelve-member committee headed by Justice Pasayat as its Chairman to open the Bhitar Ratna Bhandar, make an inventory of the lord’s wealth afresh, and undertake the repairs of the Ratna Bhandar.
The meeting felt that it would be suitable to open the Ratna Bhandar when the deities will be away in Gundicha Temple during the Rath Yatra. The members also expressed that ten days might not be enough to make a fresh inventory of the wealth to match it with that of the 1978 list and to undertake the repairs to the structure.
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Bhubaneswar Circle Superintendent Dr. DB Garhnaik said if necessary, modern technology like remotely monitored endoscopic cameras will be used to evaluate the jewels of the temple treasury.
The committee also discussed the proposal of the ASI to carry out repairs to the Ratna Bhandar. The laser scanning report of the Ratna Bhandar walls in November last reflected damages in many places of the Ratna Bhandar.
Justice Pasayat informed that after the analysis of the 1978 inventory process and all the relevant information, the next meeting will be held on May 1 next.
Noted cardiac surgeon Dr. Ramakant Panda, the Vice-chairman of the committee, along with Bidhubhusan Samal, the former CMD of Allahabad Bank, AK Sabat, the chartered accountant, representative of Gajapati King Dibyasingh Deb, ASI superintendent, three temple Managing Committee members, Bhandar Mekap (the traditional temple Treasurer), Collector Sidharth Shankar Swain, and Samarth Verma, the Chief Administrator of the temple, also the convenor of the committee, were present in the meeting.
UNI
