Puri’s Jagannath Temple authorities will conduct the Ratna Bhandar inventory on August 31 and September 1. According to Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), the decision was taken keeping in view the various upcoming festivals and rituals at the 12th-century shrine.
These two dates were finalised for the counting of the valuables stored in the temple treasury to ensure that the daily rituals of the deities and devotees are not disrupted, officials said. The inventory of the Ratna Bhandar in Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Puri is scheduled to be conducted on August 31 and September 1, it was officially announced on Saturday.
The Ratna Bhandar, or the treasury of the Jagannath Temple, houses precious jewels, gold, silver and other valuables offered to Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra over centuries. The inventory exercise is a meticulous process undertaken under strict security and supervision to ensure accurate documentation of the temple’s wealth.
The SJTA has made elaborate security arrangements for the two-day inventory exercise. Senior officials, temple priests and government representatives will be present during the counting process to ensure transparency and accountability.
For devotees and administrators of the Jagannath Temple, the Ratna Bhandar inventory is a sacred duty that upholds the sanctity of the temple’s wealth and ensures that the offerings of millions of devotees are preserved with the utmost care and reverence.
