PURI: The 12-member committee tasked with inventorying of jewelleries and other valuables of the Shree Jagannath temple met under the chairmanship of former Supreme Court Justice Arijit Pasayat here on Saturday.
The panel discussed establishing procedures and drawing insights from past practices, particularly during the 1978 opening of the Ratna Bhandar and the subsequent inventorying of the deities’ treasures including ornaments and jewels.
The committee expressed a keen interest in reviewing the inventory list from 1978 for the present inquiry. Additionally, discussions revolved around the duration required to complete a comprehensive inventory of the temple’s wealth.
Following directives from the Orissa High Court, the government constituted a 12-member committee, with Justice Pasayat at the helm, to oversee the reopening of the Bhitar Ratnabhandar and undertake a fresh inventory of the lord’s treasures and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct repairs.
ASI superintendent DB Gadanayak informed that if necessary, modern technology like remotely-monitored endoscopic cameras will be used to evaluate jewels of the temple treasury. The committee also discussed the proposal of the ASI to carry out repairs to the outer walls of Ratna Bhandar. The laser scanning report of the walls in November last reflected damage in many places.
The meeting decided to open the Bhitar Ratnabhandar when the deities will be away in Gundicha temple during the Rath Yatra. However, the members expressed concern that only 10 days may not be enough to make fresh inventory of the wealth, match it with that of the 1978 list and conduct repairs to the structure.
“After analysis of 1978 inventory process and all the relevant information the next meeting will be held on May 1 this year,” Justice Pasayat informed.
The meeting was attended by cardiac surgeon Dr Ramakant Panda, vice-chairman of the committee Bidhubhusan Samal, chartered accountant AK Sabat, Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb, ASI superintendent, temple managing committee members, Bhandar Mekap, collector Sidharth Shankar Swain and chief administrator of the temple Samarth Verma.