Puri: After four decades, Ratna Bhandar of the Jagannath Temple in Puri finally opened for inventory of precious valuables of Lord Jagannath.

A 15-member team, all in traditional attire, entered the Jagannath Temple at 12.00 PM after having 'Agyanmala' from Lord Loknath.

The team included Ratna Bhandar monitoring committee Chairman Justice Biswanath Rath, SJTA Chief Administrator Arabinda Padhee, Ratna Bhandar monitoring committee member Dr CBK Mohanty, Ratna Bhandar sub-committee member Durga Dasmohapatra, monitoring panel member Jagannath Dasmohapatra, ASI Superintendent Dibishada Brajasundar Garnayak, Chhatisha Nijog's chief and Gajapati Maharaj's representative Janardhan Pattajoshi, Puri Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain, SJTA Administrator (rituals) Jitendra Sahoo, Development Commissioner Ajay Jena, Srimandir Core committee member NC Pal, SJTA's Chief of Engineering Ashish Kumar Subudhi, Bhandar Mekap representative Ganesh Mekap, Tadhaukaran representative Himanshu Sekhar Patnaik and Deulakaran representative Chandrasekhar Mangaraj.

Before opening the Ratna Bhandar, the team offered prayer to Maa Bimala and Maa Lakshmi seeking the success of the mission.

Later, they offered prayer to Lord Loknath, the deity who is believed to be the chief protector of Ratna Bhandar.

The opening process started at 1.38 PM, the auspicious time fixed by the Ratna Bhandar monitoring committee. The authorised official brought the key from the collectorate for opening of the treasury.

The team first opened outside chamber of the Ratna Bhandar. Later, they opened the inner chamber. The process started to transfer the ornaments to a safe place from the treasury.

Besides, six chests -- made of teak wood with metal-plated interior -- where the ornaments will be kept for counting reached the temple.

Total 15 platoons of police forces were deployed around the Jagannath Temple in Puri, of which 5 were deployed inside the temple.

The Ratna Bhandar of 12th century temple was last opened in 1978.