Relocation of Lord Jagannath’s sacred jewels to renovated Ratna Bhandar begins at Puri Srimandir

The process of relocating the sacred jewels of Lord Jagannath and His Siblings to the newly renovated Ratna Bhandar has begun at the Srimandir in Puri, Odisha. Regular darshan has been suspended temporarily to ensure the safe handling of the temple’s treasures.

However, devotees are allowed to visit the Ananda Bazar within the temple premises to get Mahaprasad on Tuesday. According to the SJTA, the entry restrictions will be lifted once the sacred ornaments are safely relocated to the Ratna Bhandar.

The jewels were previously shifted to a temporary strong room while repair work of the treasure trove of the 12th-century shrine was carried out. Now, with the renovation completed, the sacred ornaments are being carefully moved back from the temporary strong room to the renovated Ratna Bhandar.

Security Arrangements at Srimandir

Security arrangements have been heightened inside the temple, with the deployment of metal detectors and other modern equipment. 

According to sources, the Natamandap and Jagamohan of the shrine will be cleansed before the jewels are placed in the permanent vault.

Last year, on July 14, during the Sandhya Darshan of the Sri Gundicha Yatra, the outer Ratna Bhandar was opened for repair work. Subsequently, on July 18, 2024, the inner Ratna Bhandar was opened, and all the sacred jewels and ornaments were shifted to a temporary strong room.