Puri, March 21: Re-counting & verification of Lord Jagannath’s Gems & Jewels of the Temple’s treasure trove, the Ratna Bhandar, has been slated to be conducted on March 25.
While the SoP for it has been laid down by the Odisha government, the Shree Jagannath Temple Admin(SJTA) has formed dedicated teams to re-secure the valuables of the Ratna Bhandar, now temporarily treasured at the Sejaghar Lock & Key.
Following a crucial meeting in this connection, it has been resolved that the counting and qualitative assessments of the deities’ gems & jewels will be conducted amid video surveillance. Apart from it, a black & white database of the royal belongings will be prepared citing their names, compositions,basic designs and make, for further reference. Similarly, the repository will be tallied with the 1978 inventory report involving the temple’s Mekap servitors.
Elaborating the preparedness for final preservation of the ancient gems & jewels of the Puri Jagannath Temple, SJTA Chief Administrator Dr. Arabinda Padhee said, the valuables will be properly wrapped and put in place, as laid down in the SOP.
The preservation activities in the Ratna Bhandar will neither disrupt the temple rituals and devotees’ darshan in any way, added Dr. Padhee.
