Puri temple treasury valuables safe, tally with 1978 list: officials
Puri Jagannath Temple's Ratna Bhandar valuables match the 1978 inventory. Third phase of audit resumed Monday under CCTV and with gemmologists.
The precious jewellery and valuables stored inside the Ratna Bhandar (treasure trove) of the 12th-century Puri Jagannath Temple have been found safe and match completely with the inventory list prepared in 1978, temple officials said on Monday.
Chief administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), Arabinda Padhee, said the ongoing exercise is being carried out as per the 1978 inventory list, following the standard operating procedure set by the state government. The third phase of the inventory process resumed on Monday and will continue on Tuesday.
"We are doing the inventory process in a transparent and flawless manner. The entire process is being conducted under CCTV surveillance with presence of only authorised persons allowed. The process is also being video-graphed," Padhee told reporters after the day's work.
The phased inventory of the treasury began in March this year after a gap of over 48 years. The second phase was held in May. The SJTA has also been conducting 3D mapping and scientific cataloguing of the jewellery and valuables as part of the process.
Padhee said it would be difficult to guess the exact timeframe for completing the exercise. "We are focussing on accuracy and transparency in the process rather than doing it in a hurried manner," he said.
Certified gemmologists have been included in the inventory process to identify precious gemstones attached to the valuables. During the 1978 inventory, a number of gemstones could not be audited due to lack of expertise. "As precious gemstones like hira (diamonds), nila (blue sapphires), moti (pearls) and manikya (rubies) are attached to the valuables of the deities, the inventory process is taking longer than expected," the administrator said.
Officials said some precious jewellery items stored in wooden boxes inside the treasury will be included in the inventory in the forthcoming phase. After the process is complete, the matter will be placed before the temple's managing committee for approval, following which the state government will decide whether to make the list public.
The safety of the Ratna Bhandar was a major political issue during the 2024 elections, with BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah questioning the then BJD government over the safety of the valuables. The BJP came to power in Odisha after the 2024 Assembly polls. The Ratna Bhandar was opened after 46 years on July 14, 2024, for repair, renovation and inventory.