Significant Move for Puri Jagannath Temple

Puri: On Wednesday, officials at the Puri Jagannath temple announced plans to transfer the Lord's valuables and ornaments back to the original Ratna Bhandar (treasury) on September 23.

In July 2024, the temple's jewelry and other precious items were moved to a temporary storage facility within the temple grounds when the Ratna Bhandar was reopened for repairs after four decades.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has successfully completed the restoration of the 12th-century shrine's Ratna Bhandar, as confirmed in July.

With the repairs finalized, the valuables will be returned to their rightful places, stated Arabinda Padhee, the chief administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA).

Padhee mentioned, "The transfer of the Lord's valuables is scheduled for the auspicious window between 7:17 AM and 11:17 AM on September 23."

He also noted that while the shifting occurs, rituals will proceed as planned, although public access will be limited that day.

If the relocation is not completed on September 23, it will continue into September 24, with a magistrate present to oversee the process.

Once the ornaments are placed in the permanent Ratna Bhandar, the chambers will be sealed in the presence of authorized individuals, and the key will be stored in the district treasury.

The temple management committee, led by Gajapati Maharaja Dibya Singha Deb, will finalize the inventory of the valuables, Padhee added.

In related news, Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan announced in Bhubaneswar that Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has approved a proposal to relocate the 'Hundi' (donation box) from the temple's Nata Mandap to facilitate a new format for row darshan for devotees.

He explained that the current placement of the hundi obstructs the row darshan process.

The date for the hundi's relocation will be determined after discussions with the temple administration and the Puri district collector.