Odisha: ASI Initiates Renovation of Jagannath Temple's Ratna Bhandar
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Bhubaneswar, Dec 17 (NationPress) The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has kicked off the repair and restoration efforts for the Ratna Bhandar, the treasure repository of the Jagannath Temple located in Puri.
On the first day, the initial tasks of cleaning and staging were undertaken as per the outlined schedule.
According to senior ASI official DB Garnayak, “The scaffolding setup for the inner chamber of the Ratna Bhandar has been finalized today. A temporary platform, standing at 20 feet high, has been erected to facilitate the ongoing repair and restoration activities. Approximately 20 personnel are engaged in this endeavor. No operations will take place on Wednesday due to special rituals associated with the holy triad. The de-plastering of the inner chamber is set to commence on Thursday.”
This repair initiative is being executed in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedure as mandated by the state government.
Prithviraj Harichandan, the Law Minister, indicated that the ASI anticipates completing the repair and renovation within a span of three months. However, the government has urged the ASI to expedite the process and finish the work ahead of the proposed timeline.
He also mentioned to the media that the inventory process for the ornaments housed in the Ratna Bhandar will commence post-renovation.
It is significant to note that the Ratna Bhandar, a treasury belonging to the 12th-century shrine, was reopened in July after a hiatus of 46 years. As the 2024 assembly elections approach, the ruling BJP has pledged to unveil the Ratna Bhandar and conduct a thorough inventory of its treasures.
The last inventory was conducted in 1978, which is widely regarded as inconclusive and incomplete.
In 2018, officials who attempted to perform the inventory were taken aback to discover that the original keys to the inner chamber of the Ratna Bhandar were missing. This incident led to significant criticism directed at the BJD government from opposition parties, who held the administration accountable for the lost keys.
