Puri: The long-awaited repair work of the Ratna Bhandar of Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Puri town is set to begin from December 16.
It has been decided that the Archaeological Surve of India (ASI) will initiate the repair work in the Ratna Bhandar from December 16 and a detailed schedule for the entire exercise will be finalised soon, a senior ASI official said on Sunday.
Modalities and schedule for the repair work will be discussed at an important meeting of the Chhatisa Nijog soon, he said adding that repair work will be undertaken for five to six hours daily. Repair work of the outer chamber of the Ratna Bhandar will be undertaken first and then the inner chamber will be repaired. Wherever necessary, stone will be replaced in order to ensure stability of the structure.
Notably, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) had last month requested the ASI authorities to immediately take up the repair, maintenance and conservation work of the entire Ratna Bhandar (treasury) in the 12th century shine in Puri.
SJTA chief administrator Arabinda Padhee had stated that said the temple administration will extend all its cooperation to ASI in the repair and maintenance of the Ratna Bhandar.
The request for repair work was made after the SJTA received the report of the Ratna Bhandar’s GPR-GPS survey conducted by the ASI. He said the SJTA has all along been careful about the stability and security of the temple.
The ASI had given a 45-page report on the survey. There has been indication of damage done to the floor and wall of the Ratna Bhandar. It may be noted that the Ratna Bhandar was reopened in July this year after 46 years for an inventory of valuables and the repair of its structure, officials said.
Once the restoration of the Temple’s treasury is completed, the jewellery and valuables will be transferred back from its temporary strong room to its original location. A thorough inventory and audit of the valuables will be conducted.