Puri Ratna Bhandar repair work set to be completed before March: Odisha Minister

Repairs inside Ratna Bhandar, the treasure trove of Puri Srimandir, are set to be completed before March, informed Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Tuesday. 

According to the Minister, the development will pave the way for the subsequent inventory and counting of the ornaments stored within.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), tasked with the restoration, initially requested three months for completion. However, efforts are being made to finalise the repairs ahead of schedule.

At present, restoration work is paused to ensure the rituals at Srimandir associated with the Makar Sankranti festival are not disturbed. Repairs are scheduled to resume on January 17.

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The Law Minister expressed confidence that once the repairs are finished, any valuables stored outside the Ratna Bhandar will be transferred inside. This shift will set the stage for the inventory process.

“The repair work has been halted for three days considering the fact that various rituals at Srimandir will be halted due to Makara Sankranti. The repair work will start again from January 17,” said Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan.

“There has been good progress in the repair work. We are hopeful that the ASI team will finish the repair work much before their target. Subsequently, we will start inventory and counting of the ornaments,” he added.