Odisha Govt. Announces High-Level Panel Formed For Inventory Of Valuables In Jagannath Temple Ratna Bhandar

The Odisha government on Thursday has announced the formation of a high-level committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Arijit Pasayat for the supervision of inventory of valuables stored inside the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ of Jagannath Temple in Puri.

The Chief Minister’s office said in a statement that the state government took the decision as per the direction of the Orissa High Court in September last year.

The 12 member panel will supervise the preparation of the inventory of Lord Jagannath’s pieces of jewellery and several other valuables stored in the ‘Ratna Bhandar’.

The other members of the committee include renowned cardiologist Dr Ramakant Panda (Vice President of the Panel), former CMD of Allahabad Bank Dr.Vidhushan Samal, Chartered Accountant AK Sabat, representative of Puri Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, representative of Archaeological Survey of India, Sevayat representatives Durgaprasad Das Mohapatra, Madhav Chandra Mohapatra, Jagannath Kar, and Ratna Bhandar’s Ganesh Mekap.

Besides, the Puri District Collector, Deputy Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple and Chief Administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration will be the convenors of the committee.

In September, the High Court directed the State Government to constitute a high-level committee for the inventory of Ratana Bhanadar at Jagannath temple.

Previously on January 17, just days before the Pran Pratishtha of Shree Ram Lalla at the Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir, the Odisha government inaugurated the renovated Jagannath Temple Heritage Corridor.

The project of Rs 800 crore is aimed at improving infrastructure for visiting devotees to the temple set in the Holy City of Puri.

The Shree Mandir Parikrama includes a 75-metre corridor surrounding the Jagannath temple complex, which will provide pilgrims with a visual connection with the temple.

The Heritage Corridor project ensures unobstructed corridors around the outer wall of the Jagannath temple.

It also provides amenities to the pilgrims and strengthens the safety and security of the temple and its devotees.