Ratna Bhandar inner chamber to be reopened on July 18

Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration will reopen the inner chamber of Ratna Bhandar on July 18 to transfer ornaments to a temporary storeroom set up within the 12th-century shrine complex, four days after it was opened after a gap of 46 years for inventory and repairs.

"We will again open the locks and enter Bhitara Ratna Bhandar between 9.51 am and 12.15 pm on July 18. The valuables in the inner chamber will be shifted to the temporary storeroom, and the ASI members will also assess its structural stability. The entire event will be videographed," said Justice Biswanath Rath, Chairman of the Supervisory Committee, after a meeting on Tuesday.

Justice Rath said due to the logistical challenges involved in moving all the chests containing valuables, ornaments within these containers will be relocated to a temporary treasury within the temple complex.