Ratna Bhandar of Puri Jagannath Temple to be Opened During 2024 Rathyatra, Says Min in Odisha Assembly

Bhubaneswar: The Ratna Bhandar of the Jagannath Temple in Puri will be opened up for repair work during Ratha Jatra this year, said Odisha Law Minister Jagannath Saraka in the Odisha Assembly on Thursday.

Replying to a question asked by Congress MLA Dasarathi Gamango, the Minister refuted the allegations that the State Government is delaying the opening of the Ratna Bhandar of Srimandir despite a High Court order.

According to the minister, as both inner and outer Ratna Bhandar is located adjacent to Srimandir Jagmohan, if the ASI survey carries out repair work of the inner portion of Ratna Bhandar by entering into the structure, the darshan of deities will be largely disrupted.

Earlier, the Managing Committee of the Jagannath Temple had decided to recommend the state government to open the inner Ratna Bhandar of the temple during annual Ratha Jatra in 2024. The Srimandir Managing Committee opined to inspect the inner condition of the Ratna Bhandar by conducting laser scanning from outside. Following the laser scanning, the repair work can be conducted during Ratha Jatra this year, Saraka said.

In September 2023, the Orissa High Court directed the government to constitute a high-level committee to supervise the preparation of inventory of the Ratna Bhandar.