Puri: Darshan of deities at the Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha's Puri will not be allowed today from 1 PM onwards due to the reopening of the Ratna Bhandar for shifting of almirahs and chests.

The Ratna Bhandar will be reopened to facilitate the relocation of several almirahs and chests. These items will be moved from the Ratna Bhandar to a designated room near the Niladri Museum.

The darshan will be temporarily closed from 1 PM until the shifting process is completed. However, devotees will be allowed to purchase Mahaprasad from Ananda Bazaar during this period. Darshan will resume once the relocation is finished, according to the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA).

It has been reported that the Ratna Bhandar contains three wooden almirahs, one steel almirah, two wooden chests, and one iron chest in its inner and outer treasury. All the ornaments are securely stored in the Khata Sejaghar and Changada Ghara near the strong room.

The state government has approved a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for shifting the containers, which includes the provision to cut the outer door of the Bahara Bhandar to accommodate the removal of the chests, as all of them are wider than the door.

Once the Ratna Bhandar is emptied, it will be handed over to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for examination. The ASI will use non-destructive technology to check for any hidden chambers or tunnels and to repair the cracks and other structural damages within the treasury.