Puri Jagannath Temple's Ratna Bhandar unveiled after 46 years: What all was stored in the secret chamber?

After a hiatus of forty-six years, the sealed doors of Puri Jagannath Temple’s Ratna Bhandar were finally opened on Sunday by an eleven-member team. This significant event was undertaken to conduct a comprehensive inventory and initiate essential restoration work, a promise that had been a focal point during the recent elections under the new BJP government in Odisha.

Unlocking the Sacred Vault

The opening ceremony attracted a large gathering of devotees eager to witness this historic moment. Due to the absence of keys to the inner chamber, a contentious issue in Odisha politics leading up to the elections, the government-appointed team had to resort to breaking the locks to gain access to the treasury.

Arabinda Padhee, chief administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) and a member of the team, explained that while the inventory of valuables has been temporarily suspended, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has commenced necessary repairs on the Ratna Bhandar, which had developed structural cracks. All valuables from the outer chamber have been securely transferred to a temporary strongroom nearby, but those from the inner chamber will be relocated on another occasion due to time constraints.

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Challenges & Discoveries

Inside the inner chamber, officials discovered five wooden chests and seven almirahs, the contents of which were not immediately inspected. To ensure the safekeeping of these valuables, six large wooden chests from Bhubaneswar have been specially brought in, with an additional nine chests currently under construction for future use in Puri.

Security & Restoration

Padhee said that the primary focus currently lies on the restoration of the Ratna Bhandar before the detailed inventory of its treasures commences. Security measures have been escalated with police stationed outside both the Ratna Bhandar and its temporary strongroom, complemented by extensive CCTV surveillance across the premises.

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The last inventory of the Ratna Bhandar was conducted in 1978, but it was deemed inconclusive and incomplete. According to government records, the previous inventory revealed approximately 128 kg of gold and 221 kg of silver items. However, efforts to conduct subsequent inspections were hindered when the original keys to the inner chamber went missing in 2018, sparking widespread criticism during the tenure of the previous BJD government.

Historical Significance & Cultural Heritage

The significant breakthrough of accessing the Ratna Bhandar is a significant achievement for the BJP-led government in Odisha, which had prioritized the reopening of this revered treasury as a key electoral promise. It follows closely on the heels of the government’s decision to reopen all four gates of the Jagannath Temple; previously, only the Lion’s Gate had been accessible since March 2020.

In response to these developments, Chief Minister Mohan Majhi expressed his gratitude, stating, “Jai Jagannath. At your wish, first the four gates of the temple were reopened. Now, Ratna Bhandar has been reopened after 46 years. I firmly believe that this great endeavor will be successful."

The inner chamber of the Ratna Bhandar is renowned for its collection of rare jewelry, including diamonds, gold, and precious gems. Historical accounts, such as those documented in Odisha Magazine, reveal that King Anangabhima Dev once donated 2.5 lakh madhas of gold to create jewelry for the deities.

According to an article in Odisha Review from 2022, the ‘Bhitara Bhandar’ houses 180 types of ornaments, comprising 74 varieties of pure gold ornaments, some weighing over 1.2 kg each. This repository preserves valuables not regularly used in deity worship, reflecting centuries of devotion and cultural heritage. The inventory from 1805, conducted by then Puri Collector Charles Grome, listed 1,333 items stored in the inner chamber, including 128 gold coins, 1,297 silver coins, 106 copper coins, and 24 ancient gold coins.

The last comprehensive inventory, undertaken in 1978, reported 454 types of gold ornaments weighing 12,883 ‘bhari’ and 293 types of silver ornaments weighing 22,153 ‘bhari’. A subsequent opening occurred in 1985 for gold-repair purposes, though no inventory was conducted at that time.

Former temple administrator Rabindra Narayan Mishra, who participated in the recent opening, recounted seeing at least fifteen wooden chests containing articles made of gold, silver, diamonds, sapphires, pearls, rubies, and other rare gemstones.

Concerns about the presence of snakes within the vault prompted the temple committee to enlist the services of a skilled snake charmer. Additionally, medical teams were on standby with necessary supplies during the opening process.

Future Steps & Public Reaction

Justice Biswanath Rath, overseeing the high-level committee appointed by the Odisha government, entered the Ratna Bhandar and confirmed the absence of any abnormal occurrences or serpents, dispelling earlier speculations.

The reopening of the Ratna Bhandar is a monumental achievement for the BJP-led government in Odisha, which had made it a prominent issue during the recent elections. This event follows the government’s decision to reopen all four gates of the Jagannath Temple, previously closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.