Argus News - No Discrepancy Found In Jagannath Temple's Ratna Bhandar Inventory So Far, Says Official

Bhubaneswar, Apr 20: No discrepancy has been detected so far in the ongoing inventory of valuables stored in the Ratna Bhandar of Puri's Jagannath Temple, officials said on Monday.

Chief Administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration, Arabinda Padhee, who is overseeing the process that began on March 25, informed that the inventory of the Chalanti Bhandar (daily-use ornaments) and Bahar Bhandar (festival ornaments) has been completed under CCTV surveillance. The exercise for the Bhitar Bhandar (inner chamber) is currently underway.

“All ornaments stored in the Ratna Bhandar — be it gold or precious stones — have matched the 1978 inventory so far. Not a single discrepancy has been recorded by the grace of the Lord,” Padhee said.

He added that the process has been temporarily paused from April 18 due to the ongoing Chandan Yatra and will resume at a suitable time. “We cannot say how much more time will be required to complete the process,” he said.

Officials noted that while the previous inventory in 1978 took 72 days to complete, the current exercise has covered nine days so far.

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Chairman of the Srimandir Ratna Bhandar Inspection Committee, Justice Biswanath Rath, said the process is progressing smoothly. “A short break has been taken due to rituals like the Chandan Yatra. We hope the work will be completed smoothly by the grace of the Lord,” he said.

He further informed that gemologists, goldsmiths, and experts from the Reserve Bank of India are involved to ensure accuracy. The entire process is being videographed, and 3D mapping is also being carried out to maintain transparency and proper documentation.