CUTTACK: The demand for reopening the Jagannath Temple Ratna Bhandar (treasury) for inspection and inventory of the jewelleries and valuables of the deities has come into focus with the Orissa High Court on Tuesday seeking response on it from the State authorities.
The division bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice Chittaranjan Dash directed the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) to clear the air over reopening of the Bhitar Ratna Bhandar.
Ratna Bhandar is classified under three categories. In category-I the articles are kept in Bhitar Bhandar and never used. In Category II - those that are used only on ceremonial or festive occasion and Category III - those that are for daily use of the deities.
The HC sought the response from SJTA on a petition seeking stock taking of the properties and valuables in the Ratna Bhandar and make public the outcome of the inventory. A High Court lawyer Dillip Kumar Mohapatra filed the petition on June 6, 2018. But the petition was since pending without any orders.
Petitioner counsel Alok Mohapatra pressed for reopening of the Bhitar Ratna Bhandar when the petition came up on Tuesday. He said a complete inventory of the articles in the Ratna Bhandar was last done in 1978. As no inventory has since been made of the Bhitar Ratna Bhandar, it has become essential to know whether the jewelleries and other valuables of the deities are intact and safe, the petitioner counsel argued.
Taking note of it, the bench fixed January 5, 2023 for hearing on the matter along with the SJTA’s reply.