PURI, Mar 25 : In line with the scheduled process, a fresh inventory of the Sri Jagannath Temple’s wealth began on Wednesday at 12:09 PM, as two teams led by Justice Biswanath Rath and Temple Chief Administrator Aravind Padhee entered the sacred Ratna Bhandar for the task. The teams were accompanied by video and camera units to ensure accurate documentation.
The inventory process commenced with the Challanti Bhandar, the repository of daily-use ornaments, followed by the inventory of the Bahar and Bhitar Ratna Bhandaras.
The Challanti Bhandar houses some of the temple’s largest and most precious ornaments, including giant-sized gold tiaras, earrings, feet and hand ornaments, forehead decorations (Chitas), and large necklaces studded with rare gemstones.
It also contains various items like gold and silver dish plates used for offerings, along with many smaller precious items.
Each ornament was meticulously cataloged, including details such as traditional nomenclature, weight, metal purity (gold or silver), and the quality of the gemstones. Separate wooden chests, known as Sindhukas, were used to store the different metals (gold, silver, and other precious materials).
The inventory team included the temple’s goldsmith (Bania), two empanelled goldsmiths from nationalized banks, a gemmologist, and a metallurgist.
Three tables were used for the detailed process. Throughout the inventory work, devotees were allowed to have darshan (viewing) of the Trinity from the Bahara Katha platform, while the temple’s daily rituals continued as per the regular schedule.
The previous inventory, conducted in 1978, recorded the following details: The Challanti Bhandar contained eight gold ornaments totaling 299 Bhari (approximately 3.6 kg), along with 23 types of silver ornaments weighing 2,600 Bhari. The Bahar Ratna Bhandar held 79 gold ornaments, totaling 8,175 Bhari, and 39 silver ornaments weighing 4,671 Bhari. Meanwhile, the Bhitar Ratna Bhandar included 367 types of gold ornaments totaling 4,364 Bhari, and 231 silver items weighing 14,878 Bhari.
The team of temple officials overseeing the inventory work included Aravind Padhee and Justice Biswanath Rath, along with the Deula Karan, Tadhau Karan, Pattajoshi Mahapatra, Deula Bania (goldsmith), Bhandar Mekapa (temple treasurer), RBI officers, and certified goldsmiths from nationalized banks.
The work began at 12:09 PM and concluded at around 6:00 PM on the same day.
The inventory work is a crucial step in ensuring transparency and preserving the sacred wealth of the Sri Jagannath Temple for future generations.
9UNI)
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