In Odisha, the Ratna Bhandar, the revered treasury of the 12th-century Sri Jagannath temple in Puri, was reopened this morning for the second time in a week for the shifting of valuables to a temporary strong room.
After offering prayers before Lord Jagannath and his siblings, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra, the 11-member committee set up by the Odisha government for the shifting of valuables from the Ratna Bhandar reopened the treasury at 9.51 this morning. All valuables and ornaments in the inner chamber of the Ratna Bhandar will be shifted by this evening.
The treasury was opened last Sunday after 39 years to shift the ornaments and valuables of the outer chamber of the Ratna Bhandar to a strong room. Puri King Gajapati Maharaj Divya Singh Deb is also present in the Ratna Bandar to oversee the shifting of the valuables.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will do repair and renovation works on the Ratna Bhandar, after which the valuables will be shifted back and counting of the valuables will begin. The Sri Jagannath temple administration has restricted the entry of devotees into the shrine since 8 this morning for the shifting of the valuables.
