The long-awaited inventory of valuables inside the Ratna Bhandar of Puri’s Shree Jagannath Temple is expected to begin in January 2026, with exact dates to be finalized at a high-level committee meeting on December 27. Justice Biswanath Rath, chairman of the committee overseeing the process, stated that preparations are underway and consultations will be held with Mukti Mandap, the temple’s religious council, to determine an auspicious date and time.
The inventory will be conducted inside the inner treasury chamber for security reasons. It will be tallied with the last enumeration, which took place in 1978 and required 72 days to complete under lamplight. This time, authorities aim to complete the process more quickly, mindful of the heavy influx of devotees during the New Year period, although darshan arrangements may be affected on the counting days due to space constraints and security protocols.
Justice Rath clarified that valuation will not involve assessing monetary worth, as the ornaments belong to the deity. Only identification, associated details, and total weight will be recorded, with the Reserve Bank of India providing a jewellery detection machine to assist the process. A Standard Operating Procedure has been issued, and personnel have been briefed.
The Ratna Bhandar was reopened in 2024 after four decades for repair works, which were completed in July, and valuables were restored to the treasury thereafter. For devotees of Jagannath, the upcoming inventory marks a rare moment of transparency and accountability in handling the sacred wealth offered to Mahaprabhu over centuries.
