Opening the Ratna Bhandar After 46 Years
The Ratna Bhandar, the treasury of Odisha’s iconic Jagannath Temple in Puri, was recently opened after 46 years, sparking allegations of theft. Reports suggest that valuables may have been stolen, leading to an investigation.
Suspicions of Theft
A government-formed committee member, tasked with maintaining the inventory of the treasury, suspects that duplicate keys were used to steal from the Ratna Bhandar. This suspicion arose when committee members had to break three locks to access the treasury on July 14, as the duplicate keys provided by the temple administration failed to work.
The Missing Original Keys
The need for duplicate keys stems from the original keys going missing in 2018. This incident prompted the former BJD government to order a probe. Jagdish Mohanty, a committee member, believes that the malfunctioning duplicate keys indicate a criminal motive to siphon off valuables. He stated, “After the locks were broken following malfunctioning of the duplicate keys, it has been established that there was a criminal motive and intention to siphon off the valuables. The duplicate key issue was a hoax as theft attempt cannot be ruled out.”
Anomalies in the Treasury
The treasury houses three wooden almirahs, one steel almirah, two wooden chests, and one iron chest. Upon inspection, it was found that while one wooden almirah was locked, the other two had improperly positioned locks. Additionally, one of the iron chest’s two locks was broken, and the two wooden chests had no locks at all. These irregularities further fueled suspicions of theft, as it appeared that duplicate keys might have been used to access and steal the valuables.
Treasures Inside the Ratna Bhandar
The Ratna Bhandar consists of two enclosures: the inner treasury or ‘Bhitar Bhandar’ and the outer treasury or ‘Bahar Bhandar’. These enclosures hold precious gold and diamond jewelry offered to Lord Jagannath over the years. According to Odisha Magazine, the outer treasury houses the ‘suna mukuta’ of Lord Jagannath and three gold necklaces. The inner treasury contains 74 gold ornaments, each weighing more than 100 tolas.
Ongoing Investigation
As the investigation continues, the committee is scrutinizing the possibility of duplicate keys being produced with malevolent intent. The irregularities in the locks and the missing original keys suggest that a thorough probe is necessary to determine if a theft has occurred and to ensure the security of the remaining treasures.
The reopening of the Ratna Bhandar has raised significant concerns about the security and integrity of the Jagannath Temple’s treasury. The suspicion of theft and the investigation into the missing keys underscore the need for stringent measures to protect such invaluable cultural and religious assets. The findings of the probe will be crucial in addressing the allegations and ensuring the preservation of the temple’s treasures for future generations.
(With inputs from agencies)
