Special inventory of Jagannath temple’s Ratna Bhandar conducted as deities on Rath Yatra

Puri Jagannath Temple authorities conducted a special inventory of the Ratna Bhandar treasury during Rath Yatra rituals. The process involved counting, weighing and digitally documenting ornaments used by deities, including gold and silver jewellery, following Odisha government-approved procedures

Puri: Authorities of Puri’s Jagannath temple conducted a special inventory of the Ratna Bhandar (temple treasury) amid the sibling deities’ annual sojourn to the Gundicha temple as part of the Rath Yatra rituals, officials said.

The process was conducted on Sunday as per the standard operating procedure approved by the Odisha government, they said.

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The process, which had been suspended since May 23 due to various festivals at the temple, involved counting and weighing ornaments mostly used for the deities. The jewellery had been removed from the deities during Snan Purnima last month.

Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) chief administrator Arabinda Padhee said the ornaments counted during the special inventory included ‘Rahu Rekha’, gold ‘Chita’ and silver ‘Rasika’, besides other items associated with the deities.

“These ornaments were counted and weighed, while the entire process was video-graphed as part of the digital documentation process,” Padhee said.

He said the jewellery was identified by gemologists and experts during the exercise.

Justice (Retd.) Biswanath Rath, chairman of the Ratna Bhandar inspection committee, said the counting was conducted in accordance with the SoP approved by the state government.

The inventory of ornaments in the Bahar Ratna Bhandar (outer chamber) has been completed, while the counting process in the Bhitar Ratna Bhandar (inner chamber) is underway, another official said.

The next date for the inventory exercise will be announced later, he added.