Puri Srimandir Ratna Bhandar’s front gate to be gold-plated!

The front gate of the Ratna Bhandar of Puri Srimandir is likely to be gold-plated. A decision in this regard has been taken in the last meeting of the Srimandir Management Committee. 

Visitors coming to Srimandir fail to identify the Ratna Bhandar, the treasure trove of Lord Jagannath and His siblings as its front gate looks like any other gate. 

In the recently held meeting of the Srimandir Management Committee, it has been decided to gold-plate the front door of the Ratna Bhandar so that visitors can easily identify it. The gold collected from the donation box (hundi) will be used for the purpose. 

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As per the Srimandir Hundi Act, the Chief Minister is the head of the gold and silver ornaments collected from the donation box. So, it has also been decided that a letter will be written to Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, seeking his permission.

“The front gate of the Ratna Bhandar looks like that of any jail. In the Srimandir Management Committee meeting, it was discussed that if the front gate of the Ratna Bhandar is gold-plated, its importance will be enhanced,” informed Madhab Mohapatra, member of the Srimandir Management Committee. 

 “The gold weighing around 25 to 30 kilograms collected from the donation box has been put away in the locker of the State Bank of India. As per the Srimandir Hundi Act, the Chief Minister and the Finance Minister are the president and secretary of it. So, a decision has also been taken that a letter will be written to the Chief Minister, seeking his permission to use the said gold in gilding the Ratna Bhandar’s front gate,” he added.