Puri: The date for reopening Bhitara Ratna Bhandar (inner chamber of the treasury) of Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Puri will be announced after completion of the annual journey of the Lords, Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said on Monday.
“The date for opening the inner chamber for the second time and shifting of the valuables will be decided soon. Our focus in on inventorisation of the valuables,” he said, adding that any probe on the ‘missing and duplicate’ keys will be done thereafter.
OPENING OF RATNA BHANDAR PUTS SPOTLIGHT ON ‘MISSING KEYS’
The inner chamber of the treasury) of the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri was reopened after 46 years by cutting open three locks on Sunday, shifting the focus back on the disappearance of the keys on April 4, 2018 when the previous government had made an unsuccessful attempt to open the Ratna Bhandar for a structural inspection.
Justice Biswanath Rath, who chairs the high-power committee to supervise inventorisation and conservation of Ratna Bhandar, said that there were three locks in the inner chamber of which only one was sealed. “We made an attempt to open the inner Bhandar, but the keys did not work. As per the SOP, we broke the locks and entered,” he said.
The team was accompanied by a unit of ODRAF personnel equipped with flashlights, cutting tools and other gadgets.
The inner chamber boasts a collection of the rarest jewellery, including diamonds, gold, and precious gems, donated over centuries by devotees and kings to Lord Jagannath. The team saw boxes and almirahs (both steel and wooden), wooden chests and boxes (lying on the floor) containing jewellery. But it was decided unanimously to shift the jewelleries on another date to the designated strong room as the administration had to focus on Bahuda Yatra and Suna Besha.
“We have decided that we will be sitting after 5-6 days to get inside the inner Bhandar and to take stock of the ornaments…After we keep the ornaments from there to the scheduled room, we leave it vacant for the ASI people. Two sets of videography have been taken for record purposes…” Justice Rath said, adding that Bhitara Ratna Bhandra has been resealed using new locks.
He further stated that the structure requires extensive repair. “In the limited time that we were inside the Bhitara Bhandar, we checked both the roof and the floor of the chamber and noticed broken stones on the floor. There is no doubt that the structure is in a very dilapidated state and needs extensive repair. But the damage is a normal thing as this inner chamber hasn’t been opened since 1985,” he told The New Indian Express.
Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) chief administrator Arabinda Padhee said that the ASI will do the required renovation works of both outer and inner chambers. “Once the repair work is completed, jewelleries and valuables will be shifted to Bhitara Ratna Bhandar and “ganati manati” (inventorisation) will only be done. Structural safety of the temple is our top priority,” he said, without commenting on the structural condition of the chamber.
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) mentioned about water is leaking in from cracked stones on the walls. “We have a team of experts, including structural and civil engineers, surveyors, draftsmen and archaeologists. Our work will start when the Ratna Bhandar is completely vacated by shifting the valuables to the temporary strongroom,” ASI’s superintending archaeologist (Puri circle), Dibishada Garnayak, said.
BAHARA RATNA BHANDAR VACATED
The team has shifted valuables from the outer chamber to a temporary strong room in Changda Mekap room inside the temple premises in four wooden chests. The team entered the temple by noon and the outer chamber was opened at around 1.28 pm. “We first opened the outer chamber of the Ratna Bhandar and shifted all ornaments and valuables kept there to the temporary strong room inside the temple. The strong room has been sealed,” Padhee told reporters.
SNAKES MYTH DEBUNKED
The highly-anticipated event, however, was marked by a mix of curiosity and caution amid tales about venomous king cobras guarding Ratna Bhandar and unusual sounds emanating from the treasury. Apprehending the presence of snakes, the government had deployed 11 members of Snake Helpline, a voluntary unit having expertise in catching and rescuing snakes, at the shrine. Puri Collector Siddharth Shankar, however, told the media that they did not come across any snakes, insects or reptiles.
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