Ratna Bhandar : Jagannath Temple
The Odisha government unlocked the revered Ratna Bhandar of the 12th-century Jagannath temple in Puri after 46 years.
- The Ratna Bhandar is a valuable collection of treasures, located on the northern side of the Jagamohana (assembly hall of temple).
- It contains the priceless jewelry of the sibling deities Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra which have been offered by former kings over many centuries and by devotees from around the globe.
- The Records of Rights created in accordance with the Puri Sri Jagannath Temple Act, 1952, includes an inventory of the precious jewelry and assorted adornments belonging to Lord Jagannath.
- It contains two chambers namely the outer (Bahara Bhandar) and inner chamber (Bhitar Bhandar), which has remained closed for the past 46 years.
- As per the inventory last made in 1978, the Ratna Bhandar has a total 128.38 kg of gold and 221.53 kg of silver.
- The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), is the custodian of the temple and had performed a structural inspection of the Ratna Bhandar in 2008 but could not enter the inner chamber.
