Dikhyaa Mohanty 
On March 25, jewelry and other treasures kept in the Ratna Bhandar of the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri will be counted. The Ratna Bhandar inventory procedure will start during the auspicious Mahendra Bela on Chaitra Shukla Saptami tithi, between 12.12 and 1.45 pm, in accordance with a decision made at the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee meeting on Monday.
Chief Administrator of Shree jagannath Temple Manging Committee (SJTA) Arabinda Kumar Padhee said that the state government has already approved the final Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to be followed during the inventory process. Notably, the Orissa High Court has granted three months to complete the counting process. To ensure accuracy and transparency, e-cataloguing will be undertaken, and a special monthly calendar will be prepared.
Officials said counting of the Ratna Bhandar valuables will not be conducted on special days, festivals, Saturdays, and Sundays. Two teams, a Supervising Team and a Handling Team, have been formed oversee the inventory exercise. The Supervising Team will consist of three members, while the Handling Team will have ten members drawn from temple administration, sevayats, experts in ornament identification, and representatives from financial institutions, including the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
The Ratna Bhandar treasures will not be counted on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, or special occasions, according to officials. The inventory exercise is being overseen by two teams, a Supervising Team and a Handling Team. Three people will make up the Supervising Team, while 10 people from temple administration, sevayats, ornament identification specialists, and representatives of financial institutions, including the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), will make up the Handling Team.
The entire inventory process will be conducted under CCTV surveillance, with complete videography and photography. All participants will be required to maintain strict confidentiality. Ornaments will be stored in separate and secure chests after documentation. The inventory will be carried out in three phases – first the section of Ratna Bhandar which is being reguaraly used, followed by the outer chamber of Ratna Bhandar, and finally the inner chamber of Ratna Bhandar.
