Puri Ratna Bhandar Audit Reveals Consistency With Decades-Old Records

The ongoing inventory of the Ratna Bhandar (treasury) of the Puri Jagannath Temple has reportedly shown complete consistency with the last official list prepared in 1978, a senior official said on Tuesday.

Shree Jagannath Temple Administration chief administrator Arabinda Padhee said the inventory process inside the Puri Jagannath Temple is being carried out with strict security, CCTV surveillance, videography, and advanced documentation techniques including 3D mapping and high-definition imaging. He said authorised personnel are thoroughly screened before entering the inner chamber, and the process is being conducted in line with the Standard Operating Procedure approved by the Odisha government.

Padhee said the treasury entry during the latest phase took place at 4:27 PM and continued till 8:44 PM, t aking the cumulative inventory time to over 64 hours so far. He added that experts, including gemologists, are assisting in verifying valuables, many of which are studded with precious stones.

According to him, the objective is accuracy and transparency rather than speed, noting that the previous comprehensive inventory conducted in 1978 had taken 72 days. The current exercise, resumed after a gap of 48 years, is being carried out in multiple phases scheduled across May.

Officials have confirmed that the valuables documented so far match the 1978 inventory list, with no discrepancies reported at this stage.

The administration also clarified that temple rituals and daily worship are continuing without disruption. However, during the inventory process, devotees are allowed darshan only from designated outer barricaded areas for security reasons, while core rituals remain unaffected.

The next phases of the inventory are scheduled on May 19, 21, 23, 26, 28, 29, and 30, with officials stating that the process will continue carefully to maintain full transparency and ritual sanctity.