Jagannath Temple Ratna Bhandar: The inner Ratna Bhandar (Ratna Bhandar) treasure of the Mahaprabhu Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, was removed on Thursday (July 18). For this work, 11 high committee members of the state government entered the storehouse at 9:15 a.m. on Thursday. When they reached the storehouse, the team members found three thick glass and an iron cupboard that was 6.50 feet high and 4 feet wide.
Gold Was Filled In A 3 Feet High And 4 Feet Wide Chest
Apart from the shelves, two wooden chests, 3 feet high and 4 feet wide, and an iron chest were also found inside. All these contained several boxes full of gold. A member opened a box and looked inside, then tried to remove the shelves and chests, but they were so heavy that they could not even be moved.
It Took Seven Hours To Shift The Treasure
Looking at the weight of the Jagannath temple treasure, the team decided to remove it from all the boxes and shift it to Mahaprabhu’s sleeping room. This work took the team 7 hours. Jagannath culture expert Bhaskar Mishra said that the initial estimated price of gold in both stores could be more than Rs 100 crore.
Outer Ratna Bhandar Opened On July 14
The Ratna Bhandar was opened after 46 years on Sunday (July 14). The items of the outer Ratna Bhandar were shifted to 6 boxes and sealed. The gold and silver kept in it were shifted to the substantial room. The inner Ratna Bhandar was opened on the same day, but due to its dark and dirty condition, it was decided to reopen it with full arrangements after four days.
The Talk Of A Tunnel In The Ratna Bhandar Turned Out To Be A Rumor
Temple administrator and committee member Arvind Padhi said that no snake was seen in the inner Ratna Bhandar, and no clue of the tunnel was found. All this was just a rumour. The listing and audit of gold and jewellery have not been planned yet.
Ratna Bhandar Could Not Be Opened In 2018
The Odisha High Court had directed the state government to open the Ratna Bhandar in 2018. However, on April 4, 2018, when a team of 16 people reached the chamber of Ratna Bhandar on the court’s orders, they had to return empty-handed as it was claimed that the keys of the Ratna Bhandar were lost. Then, the then-Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik, ordered a judicial inquiry.
