Justice Rath-led committee proposes opening of Ratna Bhandar on July 14

Bhubaneswar, July 9: The 16-member committee led by Justice Biswanath Rath proposed on Tuesday to open the Ratna Bhandar (treasury) of Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, on July 14. This proposal is contingent upon approval from the state government.

The decision to consider opening the Ratna Bhandar was made during the second meeting of the high-level committee, which was reconstituted under the chairmanship of retired Justice Rath from the Orissa High Court. The committee's mandate is to oversee the inventorying of valuables, including jewelry, stored in the treasury after a lapse of 46 years.

Justice Rath informed reporters that the temple managing committee will convene to discuss and subsequently submit the proposal to the state government. Opening the Ratna Bhandar will only proceed upon government authorization.

The committee also deliberated on establishing a standard operating procedure (SOP) for this process. "After extensive discussions, a unanimous decision was reached to request the government to unlock the inner chamber of the Ratna Bhandar on July 14. An SOP has been outlined for both repair work and the inventory count of valuables," Justice Rath stated.

He noted that if the existing key cannot unlock the chamber, it will be necessary to break the lock. The Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) was instructed to provide the key from the Puri district treasury to the high-level committee before their meeting.

Justice Rath assured devotees that arrangements will ensure uninterrupted darshan of the deities during the Ratna Bhandar's opening, seeking their cooperation.