Bhubaneswar, July 18: The process of relocating ornaments and valuables from the inner chamber of Ratna Bhandar at the Puri Jagannath temple has started and is expected to be completed by this evening, according to Puri Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb. He was part of an 11-member team that entered the chamber on Thursday.

Accompanied by a high-level inspection committee overseeing the inventory of Ratna Bhandar, the Puri King expressed confidence that the relocation would be finished by evening to allow preparations for the Niladri Bije of the Holy Trinity to begin.

"As scheduled, an 11-member team entered the inner chamber of Puri Srimandir’s Ratna Bhandar today to shift the ornaments and valuables to the ‘Khatasheja’ room. The almirahs and chests inside the chamber remain intact and are being safely moved. After this, the ‘Khatasheja’ room will be sealed, and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will conduct repairs on the inner chamber," said Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb.

He added, "The ‘Khatasheja’ room has been temporarily converted into a storeroom to facilitate the relocation. The inventory process will begin only after the ASI completes the repairs, as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of the high-level committee."

The Puri King assured that once repairs are done, the ornaments will be returned to their original place in the Ratna Bhandar. He also mentioned that the existence of any secret tunnels or pathways within the Ratna Bhandar will be determined after the ASI conducts a thorough inspection using advanced instruments and laser scanning technology.

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