PURI: The opening of the 'Ratna Bhandar' (storehouse of jewelleries, ornaments and other valuables) of Sri Jagannath Temple has given rise to more questions even as the Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) maintained that the structure is in need of repair.
A team of 16 members, including experts from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), inspected the Ratna Bhandar on Wednesday. However, the team members only inspected the outer chamber and did not enter into the inner chamber during the inspection which lasted for around 40 minutes raising questions over the exercise. Sources said gaps and cracks were found where pillars joined the roof. Besides, rainwater was also found leaking into the structure.
The issue of the team not entering the inner chamber has snowballed into a controversy with some questioning whether the right set keys were taken. It is also being asked how can the condition of the inner chamber be assessed from the outer chamber though the SJTA maintained that everything was visible through the iron grill. Sources, however, maintained the locks to the inner chamber were sealed and therefore no attempt was made to break open the door. The inner chamber was last opened in 1978 when the inventory of the jewellery, ornaments and other valuables were prepared.
Asked why the team did not enter the inner chamber of the Ratna Bhandara, chief administrator of the SJTA Pradip Jena said as the members were able to see all sides of the cell through an iron grill, they "did not find it necessary to open the room".
"In fact, we had taken five sets of keys with us. But after we were able to see all sides through the grill, we did not open the lock of the inner room," he pointed out. On the status of Jagmohan, the prayer hall in the 12th century shrine, Jena said the temple administration would allow the devotees to enter it soon. The repair work of the Nata Mandap (dance hall) would be taken up by the ASI once the Jagamohan is opened for the devotees, he added.
"The temple authorities would take necessary steps to restore the Ratna Bhandar after receiving the final report from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which will be submitted to us in a week," Jena said. The administration yesterday called for an emergency meeting of the temple's managing committee, which was presided over by the Puri Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingh Deb after the inspection of the Ratna Bhandar was over.