Bhubaneswar: The authorities of Jagannath temple at Odisha’s Puri town will begin the inventory of ornaments and other valuables stored at the shrine Ratna Bhandar on March 25.

A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee today.

The state government has already approved the final standard operating procedure (SOP) for the inventory of the valuables stored at the shrine treasury, said the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA).

According to the temple officials, the inventory of the Ratna Bhandar jewels will begin between 12.12 pm and 1.45 pm on March 25.

“The temple managing committee has finalized to commence the inventory of the ornaments of Ratna Bhandar on March 25 that coincides with Chaitra Shukla Saptami,” said an official.

2 teams to oversee Ratna Bhandar inventory

The inventory work will not be done on Saturdays, Sundays and during festivals.  

Two teams—a Supervising Team and a Handling Team—will oversee the inventory exercise. The Supervising Team will consist of three members, while the Handling Team will have 10 members drawn from temple administration, sevayats, experts in ornament identification, and representatives from financial institutions, including the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). 

The entire inventory process will be conducted under CCTV surveillance, with complete videography and photography. All participants will be required to maintain strict confidentiality. Ornaments will be stored in separate and secure chests after documentation.

The inventory will be carried out in phases—first the section of Ratna Bhandar which is being reguaraly used, followed by the outer chamber of Ratna Bhandar, and finally the inner chamber of Ratna Bhandar.