Puri: Preparations have officially commenced for the long-awaited inventorisation of ornaments and jewels housed in the sacred Ratna Bhandar of Shree Jagannath Temple, marking a major step toward documenting and preserving one of India’s most revered religious treasures.
A high-level meeting was held at the temple administration office under the chairmanship of Justice Biswanath Rath, who heads the Ratna Bhandar High-Level Committee. The meeting was attended by senior officials, including the Chief Administrator of the temple, the Superintendent of Police of Puri, and administrators overseeing rituals and development. Servitor representatives from the Managing Committee, along with traditional functionaries such as the Chhatisa Niyog Mahanayak, Bhandar Mekap, Tadhaukaran, and Deulakaran, also took part in the deliberations.
As per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) finalised by the Government of Odisha, the inventorisation process—locally known as “ganati manati”—is scheduled to begin from the 25th of this month. The exercise will be carried out in three phases with detailed planning to ensure accuracy and transparency. During this period, devotees will be allowed to have darshan of Lord Jagannath from the ‘bahar katha’ area, while the inventory work will be paused on weekends, major festivals, and days of heavy footfall to avoid disruption.
A key aspect of the exercise will involve cross-verification of the ornaments and jewels stored in the inner Ratna Bhandar with the inventory records prepared in 1978. This is expected to bring clarity and updated documentation of the temple’s priceless assets.
The development has generated considerable interest among millions of devotees for whom the Ratna Bhandar holds deep spiritual and cultural significance. Authorities are aiming to carry out the process in a systematic manner while maintaining the sanctity of temple traditions and ensuring a smooth experience for pilgrims.
