By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR/PURI: Acting on a grievances petition, Odisha Law Department has asked the Shri Jagannath Temple Administration in Pilgrimage city of Puri to inspect the ornaments of inner Ratna Bhandara of Lord Jagannath.
Dillip Kumar Baral and Durga Prasad Mohapatra have filed the grievances appeal. Besides, the State government gas also asked the temple administration to fill up the vacant posts of Mukti Mandap.
Earlier, Leader of Opposition Pradipta Kumar Naik had demanded an immediate audit of the ancient treasures in the 12th-century temple by opening its vaults, so far kept under lock and key for over four decades.
In the middle of a raging controversy of the missing keys, Odisha Law Minister Pratap Jena had said that the ‘Ratna Bhandara’ contains 128 kg gold jewellery, 221.5 kg silver utensils and puja material, among other valuables. Jena had cited a list of the items prepared in 1978.
The ‘Ratna Bhandara’, which stands close to the ‘Natamandir’ or ‘Jagamohana’, is believed to consist of seven rooms of which three are used for various rituals of the deities. Jewellery and valuables used during the ‘Suna Besha’ (gold attire) of Jagannath are stored in the three rooms.
Rare, precious diamonds are known to be stored in these locked coffers, apart from a great deal of gold. The treasures the kings brought home after vanquishing rival kingdoms in battles were stored in these coffers apart from donations from devotees coming from around the world over the Centuries
