Puri Jagannath Temple’s Ratna Bhandar Unlocked After 46 Years
According to media reports, this treasury holds precious gold and diamond jewelry offered to Lord Jagannath. The Magazine, an Odisha-based publication, noted that King Anangabhima Dev donated 2.5 lakh madhas of gold to create jewelry for the deity.
The Ratna Bhandar consists of two chambers: the Bhitar Bhandar (inner treasury) and the Bahar Bhandar (outer treasury). The outer treasury houses three gold necklaces (Haridakanthi Mali), each weighing 120 tolas. Additionally, the Suna Sribhuja and Sri Payar of Lord Jagannath and Bahabhadra are also stored here.
The inner treasury reportedly contains around 74 gold ornaments, each weighing over 100 tolas. It also holds plates made of gold, diamonds, pearls, and corals, along with over 140 pieces of silver jewelry.
The reopening of the Ratna Bhandar became a significant political issue during the recent assembly elections in the state. The BJP targeted the then-ruling BJD over the missing keys, promising to reopen the treasury if they won the polls.
The Ratna Bhandar, the revered treasury of the Puri Lord Jagannath temple, was reopened on Sunday after being sealed for 46 years.
The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) expressed the significance of this event in a post on X, written in Odia: “On the wish of Lord Jagannath, the Odia community, with the identity of ‘Odia Asmita’, has started making efforts to move forward. On your wish, the four gates of the Jagannath temples were earlier opened. Today, on your wish, the Ratna Bhandar was opened after 46 years for a greater purpose.”
Among the 11 people present at the reopening were former Orissa High Court judge Biswanath Rath, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) chief administrator Arabinda Padhee, ASI Superintendent DB Gadanayak, and a representative of Puri’s titular king ‘Gajapati Maharaja.’ Additionally, four servitors—Patjoshi Mohapatra, Bhandar Mekap, Chadhaukarana, and Deulikaran—were responsible for the rituals.
The treasury was last opened in 1978.
The government has decided to prepare a digital catalog of the valuables in the Ratna Bhandar, detailing their weight and make. Structural, mechanical, and civil engineers will inspect the Ratna Bhandar for necessary repairs.
Despite rumors of snakes guarding the valuables, no reptiles were found when the treasury was reopened.
