Bhubaneswar, 11 September (H.S.): The inventory report of the Ratna Bhandar (treasury) of the Sri Jagannath Temple in Puri will not be made public, Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said .

Harichandan, while speaking to mediapersons, clarified several key decisions concerning the ongoing inventory of the temple treasury as well as measures being planned to facilitate smoother darshan for devotees and residents of Puri.

The Law Minister said the counting and accounting of valuables kept in the Ratna Bhandar are likely to be completed by the end of the Margashira month. He said the entire inventory process is being carried out on the basis of the 1978 inventory list.

“Once the complete inventory is prepared, a fresh list will be compiled. However, the final inventory report will not be placed in the public domain,” the Minister said.

He added that 3D mapping, photography and videography of rare and precious ornaments are currently being undertaken as part of the inventory process. The exercise will continue for some time after Durga Puja and is expected to be completed before the end of Margashira.

The Minister said the fresh inventory will provide an updated record of the valuables in the Ratna Bhandar, but the details of the precious ornaments will not be publicly disclosed.

On arrangements for smoother darshan at the Sri Jagannath Temple, Harichandan said a ramp-based, queue-oriented darshan system would be introduced inside the Natamandap within the next three to four months.

The initiative is aimed at making darshan more convenient and orderly for devotees, particularly by improving movement and queue management inside the temple.

IIT Bhubaneswar has been entrusted with designing an easy-to-use ramp system. The proposal has already been examined at the government level and will be further reviewed by the Chhatisha Niyoga and members of the Sri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee before implementation.

Special Darshan for Puri Residents

The Law Minister also announced that special darshan arrangements would be made for residents of Puri through the Uttaradwar (north gate) of the temple.

The move is intended to facilitate easier access to darshan for local residents while ensuring that the overall system remains orderly for devotees visiting the shrine.

The decisions come amid ongoing efforts by the Odisha government and temple authorities to streamline temple management, preserve the historic treasures of the Ratna Bhandar and improve the overall experience of devotees visiting Srimandir.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda