Argus News - Puri Jagannath Temple SOP Cleared as Inventory Process to Begin Soon

Puri, Feb 24: The long-awaited Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the counting and verification of Lord Jagannath’s ornaments has been finalised and approved by the Odisha government.

Following approval, the SOP was formally submitted before the Lord and subsequently discussed across multiple committees, including the High-Level Committee, the Legal Subcommittee, and finally the Temple Management Committee.

“The government-approved SOP is now in place. Earlier, both the Chief Minister and the Law Minister had reviewed the guidelines,” confirmed Arabinda Padhee, Chief Administrator, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA).

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“The Management Committee will soon decide the date and auspicious timing for the commencement of the inventory process, keeping in mind the large number of devotees expected during the period,” Padhee said while addressing media persons here on Tuesday.

The SOP outlines a detailed structure for the process. “Two teams will oversee the counting: a Supervising Team and a Handling Team,” revealed Padhee, who will lead, with the Deputy Chief Administrator or the Temple Ritual Administrator stepping in if required.

“The Supervising Team will consist of three members, while the Handling Team will include 10 members, comprising temple administrators, committee representatives, servitors, and officials from the State Bank of India and the Reserve Bank of India,” the SJTA Chief Administrator said further.

Explaining the process, Padhee said: “The process will be conducted in three stages: first, the movable treasury, followed by the outer treasury, and finally the inner treasury. Keys of the inner treasury will be deposited daily in the government treasury after each session and retrieved only during the next counting. All ornaments will be stored separately in designated chests after verification.”

Strict confidentiality will be maintained, with CCTV surveillance, videography, and photography documenting the entire procedure. “Devotees will be allowed darshan only from outside during the counting, while servitors will continue their rituals inside. On special festival days, the counting will be suspended,” Padhee announced.

As reported earlier, historical records from 1978, 1982, and 1895 will be cross-checked to match ornaments listed earlier. The final inventory list will be submitted to the Temple Management Committee and then forwarded to the state government.