Puri: Today is a very exciting day for the people of Odisha and the devotees of Lord Jagannath. After waiting for 46 long years, the mysterious treasure house Ratna Bhandar of Lord Jagannath is finally going to be opened. This treasure house holds a special place in the hearts of millions of devotees, and its opening has been eagerly anticipated.
Yesterday, The state government has given a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to the Shri Mandir administration to ensure a smooth and respectful process. This plan has now been handed over to the temple administration, who will oversee the process.
Last night, a team led by Justice Biswanath Rath, along with the temple’s chief administrator and other senior officials, inspected the temporary storage area inside the temple where the treasures will be kept. Justice Rath mentioned that they have chosen a suitable place for this temporary storage to ensure everything goes smoothly. Opening the treasure house is their top priority, and all necessary preparations are underway.
The chief administrator of the temple explained that when the committee members enter the temple to begin their work, temporary restrictions will be put in place to ensure the process goes smoothly. More discussions about this will take place today. Before the treasure house is opened, blessings will be sought from Lord Lokanath, and offerings will be made to Goddess Bimala. Additionally, a puja will be performed for Goddess Lakshmi, and the blessings of Lord Jagannath will be sought, as mentioned by temple official Aravind Padhi.
The process of opening the treasure house will begin today and will be carried out in phases. Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan shared that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will help with counting and valuing the ornaments. Representatives from RBI will be present to assist the team. Ensuring cleanliness and managing the entire process will be the responsibility of the chief administrator. Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan shared this information, expressing the significance of this event. He also mentioned that they will document the number, quality, and weight of the ornaments. Digital photographs will be taken, and a digital catalog will be prepared to serve as a reference for the future.
It’s important to note that during the 2024 elections, the BJP had promised to address the issue of the missing key to the treasure house and ensure its opening within a month and a half of coming to power. Therefore, today’s event not only fulfills an election promise but also brings an end to the 46-year-long wait of countless devotees.
In the past, back in 1805, a detailed list of the treasures was prepared by Charles Grome, the then District Magistrate of Puri. At that time, there were a total of 1,333 items, including 74 types of ornaments, along with 128 gold coins, 1,297 silver coins, 106 copper coins, and 24 ancient gold coins. The last inventory was done in 1978, and it took 71 days to complete.
The treasure house is known to contain three types of ornaments. Previously, it held a total of 12,883 tolas of gold ornaments of 454 types and 22,153 tolas of silver ornaments of 293 types. Among these were 299 tolas of 8 types of gold and 2,603 tolas of 23 types of silver items used for the daily rituals of the deities.
Today marks a historic and joyous moment for the devotees of Lord Jagannath as the treasure house opens, bringing to light the rich heritage and legacy that has been hidden away for decades.