Odisha Government Reopens Jagannath Temple's Ratna Bhandar After 46 Years

The Odisha government reopened the Jagannath Temple's Ratna Bhandar treasury after 46 years for an inventory and structural repairs. A committee, including high-ranking officials and servitors, supervised the process, which involved traditional rituals and extensive safety measures.

The Odisha government reopened the 12th-century Jagannath Temple’s Ratna Bhandar treasury in Puri on Sunday after 46 years for an inventory and structural repairs, officials stated.

The temple has been temporarily closed to devotees. The reopening committee included former Orissa HC judge Biswanath Rath, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration chief administrator Arabinda Padhee, ASI Superintendent DB Gadanayak, and representatives of Puri's titular king 'Gajapati Maharaja', along with four servitors responsible for rituals.

Safety measures include technical teams and snake catchers to handle potential hazards. Rituals for approval from deities were performed, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were established for reopening, managing, and inventorying the valuables.