Odisha Minister Prithviraj Harichandan Opens Shri Jagannath Temple’s Treasure Trove After 40 Years

On Sunday, Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan visited the Shri Jagannath Temple in Puri as the Odisha government unlocked the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ (Treasure Trove) of the temple after over forty years. The opening followed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) issued by the Odisha government.

On Saturday, the Odisha government approved the opening of the Ratna Bhandar after carrying out the inventorization of valuables, including pieces of jewellery stored there. Harichandan mentioned that the final approval for opening the Ratna Bhandar was given by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.

He further stated that the inventory work will take place in the presence of a representative from the Reserve Bank of India and a digital catalogue will be made after the counting is done. This catalogue will include photographs, weights, and other details of the items.

The Puri Jagannath Temple, dedicated to Lord Jagannath, a form of Lord Vishnu, is one of the most important temples in Odisha. It is known by many names, including the Puri temple, the Srimandira, the Bada Deula, or simply the Jagannatha temple.