AJIT KUMAR MOHANTY
Puri: The counting and inventory of ornaments kept in the Ratna Bhandar (Treasure Trove) of the Sri Jagannath Temple in Puri is underway in phases in accordance with the state government’s guidelines, keeping the temple’s rituals and daily schedules in mind.
Three days ago, Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan, who had come to Puri to attend an event, said the report on the counting and inventory of the ornaments in the Ratna Bhandar would not be made public. The minister’s statement has triggered mixed reactions in Puri, with some servitors supporting the government’s decision while others have opposed it.
Jagannath Swain Mahapatra, the chief Badagrahi of Lord Jagannath, questioned the government’s decision and expressed his dissatisfaction.
“If the report is not going to be made public, there is no point in conducting the inventory,” he said.
Mahapatra questioned why the ornaments in the Ratna Bhandar were being counted if the report would not be disclosed. He said the Ratna Bhandar had remained secretive during the time of the kings because there were no security guards or modern security arrangements at the time. However, he said, judges and other officials have now entered the treasury and inspected it.
He also pointed out that details relating to the Ratna Bhandar had been made public in the past and questioned why the report should not be disclosed now. “If the report is not made public, the government, which is already facing criticism, will face 100 times more criticism in the future over this decision,” Mahapatra said. He said Lord Jagannath is the presiding deity of 4.5 crore Odias and urged the authorities to ensure that the Lord’s ornaments and other valuables are used for the deity instead of being kept locked away.
Senior Daitapati servitor Binayak Das Mahapatra said the Lord’s jeweled ornaments have never been made public. “The government should inform devotees that all ornaments used for Lord Jagannath’s Raghunath Besha are intact and safe. Devotees will be able to see the Lord’s ornaments when he is adorned in the Raghunath Besha,” Das Mahapatra said. Senior servitor Gourahari Pradhan said Lord Lokanath is entrusted with the security of the Ratna Bhandar. Three keys are required to gain access to the treasury, he said. “The jeweled ornaments are safe. All the ornaments are matching with the inventory prepared during the 1978 counting,” Pradhan said. Therefore, there is no need to make the ornament report public, he said.