Odisha: Second phase of Puri Jagannath temple's Ratna Bhandar begins
Puri: The second phase of the inventory of the Puri Jagannath temple's Ratna Bhandar commenced on Wednesday, officials said.
A selected team of servitors, gemologists and goldsmiths entered the sacred treasury at 11.30 am, along with Ratna Bhandar Committee chairman Justice Biswanath Rath, and Shree Jagannath Temple Administration's chief administrator, Arabinda Padhee.
The inventory exercise, the first in 48 years, had begun on March 25 for the daily-use ornaments of the deities.
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"During the first phase, the entire process was documented through videography, photography, and 3D mapping to ensure transparency. A digital catalogue of the daily-use ornaments was prepared and stored in separate 'sindhukas' (treasure chests), categorised by metal type," Padhee said.
The current phase focuses on the Bahar Ratna Bhandar, where festival ornaments and jewellery are stored.
Justice Rath said this inventory includes the famous 'Suna Bhesa' (golden attire) ornaments used on the chariots and four other occasions.
According to the 1978 list, the treasury holds 111 items, comprising 78 gold-mixed articles and 33 silver-mixed jewellery pieces.
The inventory will continue until April 11, with subsequent sessions on April 13 and from April 16 to 18, Padhee said.
He said the temple rituals will continue uninterrupted, and devotees will have darshan from the 'Bahara Katha' (outer barricade) for security reasons.
The inventory is being done as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) set by the state government.
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The SOP divides storage into three categories -- the first category covers the inner chamber where the ornaments have been stored for centuries, the second one includes festival ornaments stored in the outer chamber, and the third category consists of daily-use items.
While the third category was inventoried on March 25, the current exercise is for the second category ornaments, as the items currently adorned by the deities could not be counted earlier.
Elaborate security measures have been made by the district police in view of the exercise, officials said.
The measures include strict access control, multi-layered security, deployment of striking forces at key locations, and standby teams of executive magistrates, fire services, medical staff, and anti-sabotage units, they said.
A selected team of servitors, gemologists and goldsmiths entered the sacred treasury at 11.30 am, along with Ratna Bhandar Committee chairman Justice Biswanath Rath, and Shree Jagannath Temple Administration's chief administrator, Arabinda Padhee.
The inventory exercise, the first in 48 years, had begun on March 25 for the daily-use ornaments of the deities.
Also Read: Adani Group announces Rs 33,081 crore investment in Odisha across data, power, cement projects
"During the first phase, the entire process was documented through videography, photography, and 3D mapping to ensure transparency. A digital catalogue of the daily-use ornaments was prepared and stored in separate 'sindhukas' (treasure chests), categorised by metal type," Padhee said.
The current phase focuses on the Bahar Ratna Bhandar, where festival ornaments and jewellery are stored.
Justice Rath said this inventory includes the famous 'Suna Bhesa' (golden attire) ornaments used on the chariots and four other occasions.
According to the 1978 list, the treasury holds 111 items, comprising 78 gold-mixed articles and 33 silver-mixed jewellery pieces.
The inventory will continue until April 11, with subsequent sessions on April 13 and from April 16 to 18, Padhee said.
He said the temple rituals will continue uninterrupted, and devotees will have darshan from the 'Bahara Katha' (outer barricade) for security reasons.
The inventory is being done as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) set by the state government.
Also Read: Odisha to distribute nearly 80,000 smartphones to anganwadi workers
The SOP divides storage into three categories -- the first category covers the inner chamber where the ornaments have been stored for centuries, the second one includes festival ornaments stored in the outer chamber, and the third category consists of daily-use items.
While the third category was inventoried on March 25, the current exercise is for the second category ornaments, as the items currently adorned by the deities could not be counted earlier.
Elaborate security measures have been made by the district police in view of the exercise, officials said.
The measures include strict access control, multi-layered security, deployment of striking forces at key locations, and standby teams of executive magistrates, fire services, medical staff, and anti-sabotage units, they said.
