Long-standing Demand to Open the Ratna Bhandar of Puri Jagannath Temple

October 20, 2023

As Assembly and General elections draw closer in Odisha, the clamor to unlock the Ratna Bhandar (treasure room) of the Puri Jagannath Temple is gaining momentum once again. The treasure room, which has remained sealed for three decades, has become a topic of significant discussion and contention.

The Enigma of Puri Temple’s Ratna Bhandar

The Ratna Bhandar of the Puri Jagannath Temple holds precious ornaments dedicated by devotees and erstwhile kings over centuries to the sibling deities – Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra. Housed within the 12th-century shrine, this treasure room comprises two chambers: the Bhitar Bhandar (inner chamber) and the Bahara Bhandar (outer chamber). While the outer chamber is routinely accessed for adorning the deities during important rituals, the inner chamber has remained unopened for 38 years.

Who Advocates for the Ratna Bhandar’s Opening and Why?

The demand to open the Ratna Bhandar has surged following concerns raised by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the custodian of the temple, about the structural integrity of the chamber. Apprehensions of cracks in the walls that could jeopardize the priceless ornaments stored within prompted servitors, devotees, and temple managing committee members to call for its reopening. Even the Puri royal scion, Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb, has endorsed the idea of examining the safety of the structure and its contents through an inventory.

The Last Time the Ratna Bhandar Was Accessed

Official records indicate that the last inventory of the Ratna Bhandar took place between May 13 and July 23, 1978. Although it was reopened on July 14, 1985, no updates were made to the inventory. Former law minister Pratap Jena disclosed in April 2018 that the 1978 inventory listed 12,831 bhari (equivalent to 11.66gm each) of gold ornaments embellished with precious stones and 22,153 bhari of silver utensils, among other items. Some ornaments could not be weighed during the inventory.

The Process of Accessing the Treasure House

Opening the Ratna Bhandar requires the permission of the Odisha government. A previous attempt to access it for physical inspection in April 2018 was unsuccessful due to the unavailability of the chamber’s keys. Consequently, the ASI conducted an inspection from the outside. Subsequently, a judicial inquiry, led by Justice Raghubir Das, was initiated to investigate the missing keys.

Rediscovering the Lost Keys

In June 2018, an envelope labeled “duplicate keys of inner Ratna Bhandar” was discovered in the record room of the collectorate. However, the details of the findings from the judicial inquiry, which submitted a report to the Odisha government in November 2018, have not yet been disclosed to the public.

The Resurgence of the Ratna Bhandar Issue

In August 2022, the ASI once again requested permission from the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration to inspect the inner chamber, but permission has not been granted yet. Demands from various quarters, including notable figures like Sudarsan Pattnaik, a sand artist and SJTMC member, to reopen the treasure room have intensified. Opposition parties have accused the Odisha government of delaying tactics in addressing the issue. In response to the mounting pressure, the temple managing committee has recommended opening the Ratna Bhandar during the annual Rath Yatra of 2024.

Orissa High Court’s Verdict on the Ratna Bhandar

In July, former BJP president Samir Mohanty filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Orissa High Court regarding the Ratna Bhandar issue. The court’s verdict, delivered last month, instructed the government to establish a high-level committee within two months, should the SJTMC approach it, to oversee the inventory-making process of the valuables. However, the court refrained from interfering with the plan for inventory and repairs of the inner walls of the treasure house.

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