Puri Srimandir Managing Committee Member Sudarsan Pattnaik on Wednesday wrote to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi urging him to instruct the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to take immediate repair and maintenance work of the inner Ratna Bhandar (treasure trove) chamber of the Lord Jagannath Temple.
"Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is mandated to repair and maintain this classical temple as necessary. In 2018, the technical committee of ASI inspected the inner Ratna Bhandar Chamber (Bhandara Ghara) and found many structural problems/damages in the walls, ceiling, and in overall basement structure. They had recommended immediate repair the issues to fix them. It has not been acted upon even after 6 long years thus the damages might have further deteriorated by now. The laser scanning done in February 2024 also detected cracks on the outside of Ratna Bhandar," he wrote in his letter to the Odisha CM.
He continued, "I pray your honour on behalf of devotees of the Mahaprabhu, to instruct ASI to take up the repair and maintenance work of inner Ratna Bhandar immediately, as the forthcoming monsoon may cause further damage and threaten the integrity of entire temple structure."
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Pattnaik also congratulated CM Majhi for 'taking the significant decision to open four doors of the temple of Mahaprabhu Jagannath'. "Mahaprabhu Jagannath is unique Hindu God as he is called the Lord of the Universe. The temple is of very ancient origin and is the trail blazer of Odisha's cultural & architectural legacy making every Odia pride," he added.
Counting & repair simultaneously!
Meanwhile, in an exclusive interview with OTV, the chief of the temple managing committee, Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deba said that the managing committee has already sent the proposal since August 2023 regarding how the Ratna Bhandar should be opened, how it will be repaired and how the inventory of its ornaments would be carried out.
"The managing committee treated this matter in two separate ways by segregating the repair work and inventory. As per the agreement, the repair work is the responsibility of the ASI. So the ASI has been asked that as the Deities begin their sojourn to the Gundicha temple, you should complete the repair work on a war footing before the Niladri Bije. That is the target and if it is done then very good. If it cannot be done then we have to allocate specific time after the Niladri Bije in order to avoid any clash with the rituals and darshan of the devotees."
The Puri King also said that the repair of the Ratna Bhandar and the inventory of the ornaments can start simultaneously as the repair work can begin after shifting the ornaments.
"We have recommended the State Govt to constitute a high-level team for the shifting of the ornaments to a safe place. The high-level committee should decide how the ornaments should be given protection, how the inventory will be done and what will be the modus operandi," he added.