• Source:JND
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Ratna Bhandar, the treasure trove of the 12th-century Shri Jagannath temple in Odisha's Puri was reopened after 46 years on Sunday for an inventory of the valuables and repair works. The treasury was opened by the members of a committee appointed by the state government for the task around noon after performing a 'pooja'. The procedure took place as per the standard operating procedure (SOPs) laid down by the state government.

The issue of reopening of treasury vaults of the Jagannath temple became a major political issue in the recently concluded Odisha state assembly elections. BJP targeted the then-ruling party Biju Janata Dal (BJD) over the missing keys of the Ratna Bhandar. It had promised to reopen and repair the vaults once it came to power in the state.

To mark the occasion, the Odisha CM Office posted on X: "Jai Jagannath, Oh Lord! You are full of divine play. The whole world moves according to your will. You are the heartbeat of the Odia community. You are the supreme identity of the Odia community's self-respect and pride. With your will, the Odia community has started the endeavour to advance its identity."

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"By your will, the four gates of the Shri Mandir were opened. By your will, after 46 years, the Ratna Bhandar was opened today with a noble purpose. I have firm faith that this great work will be successful," it added. 

Special Boxes, ASI Teams - Odisha's Preparations For Ratna Bhandar Opening 

Special boxes were also brought to the Ratna Bhandar before its reopening on Sunday. In a video, shared on X by ANI, several people were seen carrying the heavy boxes with the help of wooden logs.

Officials from the state government, district administration, Archeological Survey of India, State disaster management force and temple management were present at the opening of the Ratna Bhandar.

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"Odisha government has approved the SOP for opening the Ratna Bhandar. As per the decision, today the Ratna Bhandar is being opened as per set guidelines. Authorised representatives from the various 'sewa' groups, officials from the ASI, representatives of Shri Gajapati Maharaj and others would be there. The entire proceedings will be video recorded for our records, not for publicity and will be strictly confidential," Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Chief Arabinda Padhee said.