Odisha Government to Investigate Missing Keys of Jagannath Temple's Ratna Bhandar

The Odisha government will investigate why the duplicate keys of the Ratna Bhandar, the treasury of the Jagannath temple in Puri, failed to open the inner chamber locks. After 46 years, the Ratna Bhandar was reopened for an inventory and repairs. The matter has caused significant political debate, with calls for greater transparency.

The Odisha government is set to investigate why the duplicate keys of the inner chamber of the Ratna Bhandar, a 12th-century treasury at Jagannath temple in Puri, failed to unlock the doors on July 14.

Reopened for the first time in 46 years for an inventory and structural repairs, the Ratna Bhandar's inner chamber remained inaccessible as the available 'duplicate' keys could not unlock any of the three locks, according to Jagannath temple's chief administrator, Arabinda Padhee.

Following the protocol, the special committee members broke the three locks in the presence of a magistrate. Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan and other political figures have called for a detailed inquiry into the matter and the public release of the Justice Raghubir Das Commission’s report on the missing keys.