Odisha to Reopen Jagannath Temple's Ratna Bhandar on July 14 at 1:28 pm

Jul 14, 2024, 03:05 AM

The Odisha government is set to reopen the Ratna Bhandar, the revered treasury of the 12th-century Jagannath Temple in Puri, on July 14 after 46 years. The reopening, scheduled for 1:28 pm, follows the recommendations of a high-level committee and the approval of the Chief Minister. The Ratna Bhandar, which houses precious ornaments and gemstones, will undergo inventory and repairs supervised by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). A 16-member committee, headed by retired Justice Biswanath Rath, will oversee the process, with security arrangements in place. The reopening fulfills a longstanding promise by the ruling BJP. Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan confirmed the reopening, and historical records show the first inventorisation was done by Charles Grome in 1805. The treasury was last opened in 1978, and snake experts will be on standby during the process.