PURI, July 13 : The Ratna Bhandar of the 12th-century Sri Jagannath temple in Puri will be opened on Sunday, State Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said on Saturday.
Harichandan mentioned that Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has approved the proposal to open the Ratna Bhandar, which was last opened in 1978.
The newly elected BJP government in the state reconstituted a high-level committee on July 4, headed by former Orissa High Court judge Justice Biswanath Rath, dissolving the previous committee led by former Supreme Court judge Justice Arjit Pashayat.
The 16-member new committee was constituted to supervise the process of inventorying valuables, including jewelry stored in the Ratna Bhandar of Sri Jagannath temple.
The committee on July 9 submitted its proposal to the Temple Managing Committee to open the Ratna Bhandar on July 14, and the managing committee approved the proposal and recommended to the state government to open the Ratna Bhandar on July 14. The Managing Committee also provided the SOP for opening the Ratna Bhandar.
The Law Minister stated that the state government had approved the proposal of the Temple Managing Committee to open the Ratna Bhandar on Sunday.
He said the detailed SOP for opening the Ratna Bhandar had been communicated to the temple administration. The Chief Administrator of the Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), the Law Minister said, will be in charge of the entire operation.
Harichandan further said all those associated with the Ratna Bhandar will join the team to enter it, and the SJTA Chief Administrator will decide the auspicious time for opening.
The Law Minister mentioned that the keys of the Ratna Bhandar would be used to open the lock, and if the lock could not be opened with the key, it would be broken in the presence of a Magistrate.
He also said the assistance of the RBI would be taken to ensure transparency in the inventory of the valuables and jewelry of the lords.
Additionally, an ASI team will enter the Ratna Bhandar to inspect the inner wall, as a laser scan of the outer wall conducted by the ASI had revealed it is in very bad shape. The ASI, which is in charge of the conservation and repair of the 12th-century shrine, had suggested repairs to the Ratna Bhandar.
The Law Minister mentioned that advanced technology will be used to prepare the inventory of the jewelry and other valuables stored in the Ratna Bhandar, and the government will make the Ratna Bhandar report public.
Justice Rath stated that the high-level committee has proposed to shift the treasure to another facility inside the temple for inventory, which may continue for a long time.
In the 1978 inventory, there was no time limit framed to complete it and categorize the ornaments and precious stones, he added.
Justice Rath said both the inventory of ornaments and repairs to the Ratna Bhandar will be carried out simultaneously. The committee has prepared several standard operating procedures (SOPs) for shifting, inventorying, and categorizing the wealth, which will be implemented after government approval.
He also mentioned that the committee has proposed hiring expert jewelers and goldsmiths to examine the ornaments and, if necessary, conduct repairs.
The priority is to shift all the ornaments to a designated room inside the temple, make an inventory, and then categorize the ornaments and jewels.
The goldsmiths will test and ascertain the standard of gold used in making the ornaments and will describe the nature and character of different types of precious jewels like diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and other semi-precious stones used in the ornaments.
During the Rath Yatra, the ASI team will examine the inner structure of the Ratna Bhandar and carry out repairs by July 19, the concluding date of the Rath Yatra, Justice Rath said.
The committee, he further mentioned, has prepared an SOP for devotees to ensure unhindered darshan and timely observance of rituals without interruptions during the opening and inventory of the Ratna Bhandar. (UNI)
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