Puri Jagannath Temple: SOP discussed in key meeting on Ratna Bhandar inventory

A crucial meeting was held on Tuesday regarding the inventory process of Ratna Bhandar at Jagannath Temple in Puri.

Also Read: Tally current Jagannath Temple Ratna Bhandar inventory with 1978 report in 3 months: Orissa High Court tells govt

The discussion took place in the temple administration’s conference hall under the chairmanship of the SJTA Chief Administrator, focusing on the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) previously approved by the State government.

Officials confirmed that a detailed 14-page SOP has already been received for conducting the counting and verification of the temple’s treasured ornaments. It has been decided that two teams will be formed for the process — a supervisory team and an execution team.

The final schedule for the counting exercise will be determined by the temple’s managing committee. Authorities clarified that the process cannot be carried out on ritual-intensive days.

With 135 days available between now and the Niladri Bije ritual, nearly 100 days are unsuitable due to religious observances. As a result, officials estimate that only 24 days remain viable to carry out the Ratna Bhandar inventory exercise.

Notably, a meeting of the Chhatisa Nijog is also scheduled later in the day to deliberate further on the process.

Worth mentioning, earlier, the Orissa High Court had issued significant directives to the Odisha government regarding the inventory and verification of valuables in the 12th-century shrine’s treasure trove. The court ordered that the counting and assessment process must be completed within the next three months, official sources had said on February 12.

In addition, the High Court had delivered important instructions concerning the inquiry report on allegedly missing keys of Ratna Bhandar. The court had directed that the inquiry report be presented during the upcoming session of the State Legislative Assembly.

Chief Minister Mohan Majhi had reviewed the preparedness for Ratna Bhandar inventory and valuation (Ganati-Manati) of the presiding deities’ ornaments on February 16.