Ratna Bhandar reopening soon

Bhubaneswar: Srimandir Ratna Bhandar (treasury) will be reopened soon, Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said, Monday. Addressing media here, Harichandan said necessary measures were being taken by the government to reopen the treasury of the 12th century shrine. “The modalities are being worked out to decide when and how the Ratna Bhandar will be reopened, and accordingly necessary preparations are underway,” he said. The BJP, in its election manifesto, had announced that if voted to power in the state, it would reopen the ‘Bhitar Ratna Bhandar’ (inner treasury) of Srimandir and make public the commission report on the missing keys of the temple treasury. The minister said, “Once the Ratna Bhandar is reopened, all steps will be taken to examine its wall and structure and prepare the inventory of the precious jewellery in it.” The ASI, which looks after the conservation of the 12th-century shrine, will examine the interior of inner Ratna Bhandar which was found in bad shape. The ASI, after examining the outer Ratna Bhandar for a long time, had been suggesting the state government and the temple administration to reopen it to facilitate the repairs. The ASI had conducted laser scanning of the walls of the Ratna Bhandar from the outside and found that it was in bad shape requiring urgent repairs.