The valuables of Lord Jagannath, kept in a temporary strong room since July 2024, will be shifted back to the original Ratna Bhandar on September 23 after ASI repairs. Rituals will continue, though darshan will be regulated during the process.
Puri police arrested 12 men for impersonating Jagannath Temple servitors and extorting money from pilgrims. The accused targeted visitors from several states, with Rs 20,000 and 14 phones seized. They face multiple charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Lakhs of devotees gathered in Puri for Lord Jagannath’s Ratha Yatra. Authorities deployed 10,000 security personnel, AI-enabled CCTV, and NSG snipers. The Odisha government and temple administration assured smooth conduct with new tech like an Integrated Command and Control Centre.
The shifting was necessary for the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the custodian of the temple, to carry out conservation work inside the inner chamber.
The Ratna Bhandar, the revered treasury of the 12th-century Jagannath temple in Puri, was reopened on Sunday after 46 years for an inventory of valuables and the repair of its structure, officials said.
The Indian traditional month of Kartik is considered holy and large number of devotees flock to the 12th century temple to pay their obeisance to Lord Jagannath.
According to the Administrator of Puri Jagannath Temple, Ajaya Jena, the servitors testing negative for Covid-19 would be allowed to participate in the pulling of the chariots.
