Repair work of Puri Srimandir Ratna Bhandar to be undertaken after GPR survey, says Law Minister

While one and half months have passed since the opening of Puri Srimandir Ratna Bhandar, devotees of Lord Jagannath are intrigued by the question of when will the repair work be undertaken. 

Some devotees and experts are of the opinion that there might be a secret chamber inside the Ratna Bhandar and many valuables are kept inside it. Unless and until doubt in this regard is cleared, repair work of Ratna Bhandar may not be carried out.

Earlier on July 18, Puri Gajapati King Dibyasingha Deb had also emphasized a laser scanning of Ratna Bhandar for the first time. 

Moreover, in an exclusive interview to OTV, Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said that as there is no clarity over the secret chamber in Ratna Bhandar a GPR survey and other technical works will be carried out and ASI has been entrusted the responsibility for it.

“ASI has been entrusted with the responsibility to carry out a GPR survey and other technical works in collaboration with IIT to find out if there is any secret chamber inside Ratna Bhandar. After its completion, the repair work of Ratna Bhandar will be undertaken,” said Harichandan.

After 46 long years, Ratna Bhandar was opened on July 14 and in the first phase, the valuables were shifted to ‘Phulaghara. 

Subsequently, the valuables from the inner Ratna Bhandar were shifted to ‘Khata Sheja room on July 18. Moreover, the empty chests and the almirahs were shifted to Niladri Museum on August 23. Now, there is no issue for the repair work of Ratna Bhandar and it will be carried out after the GPR survey.

“The survey should be carried out to know the exact truth behind the secret chamber,” said Daita servitor Kirtiranjan Das.

“We have heard many things about Ratna Bhandar. Everybody is interested to know the exact truth behind it. Hence the survey should be carried out before the repair work,” said Mahanta Ramacharan Maharaj.