Puri (Odisha), July 18 (FN Bureau) The process of shifting of all valuables and jewellery stored in the Bhitar Ratna Bhandar of Sri Jagannath temple will be completed by this evening, Puri Gajapati Dibyasingh Dev said on Thursday. A eleven member committee under the direct supervision of Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Chief Administrator Arabinda Padhi today entered inside the Bhitar Ratna Bhandar of the temple following the SOP finalised by the government. The Puri Gajapati who also entered into the Bhitar Bhandar later told newsmen that the process of shifting of the valuables and jewellery of the Lords had started and hoped that it would be completed by this evening. He said all these valuables would be for the time being shifted to ‘Khatasheja room’ inside the temple complex where these ornaments would be kept in a temporary strong room. The shifting of the ornaments from the Bhitar Bhandar of the temple was necessitated for the ASI to undertake repair as a laser scan conducted by the ASI had suggested that the walls of the Bhitar Bhandar are in very bad shape. The valuables and jewellery kept in the Bahar Bhandar of the temple have already shifted to a temporary strong room inside the temple to allow the repair of the structure.
The Puri Gajapati said the repair of both the Bahar Ratna Bhandar and the Bhitar Ratna Bhandar was necessary as these structures were not repaired ever since the ASI took up the conservation of the 12th century shrine in 1971. Dibyasingh Dev said after the Bahar and Bhitar Ratna Bhandar was vacant, the ASI will use the high end equipment, modern technology and conduct the laser scanning to find out if there is any secret chamber, secret tunnel inside the Bhitar Ratna Bhandar or there are any other secret items inside the Ratna Bhandar. He said the temple administration will hand over both the Bahar and Bhitar Ratna Bhandar to the ASI after a thorough check up to undertake the necessary repairs of the temple treasury. The Puri King said the temple administration will make necessary arrangements to ensure that the rituals of the temple and the darshan of the devotees will not be affected when the ASI will carry out the repair work of the Ratna Bhandar. He said after the completion of the repair work of the Bahar and Bhitar Ratna Bhandar, the valuables and jewellery will be again taken back to their original place and the Inventorisation of the valuables will be taken up to tally the valuables as mentioned in the 1978 record.