Bhubaneswar, Dec 24: The long-awaited counting of valuables stored in the Ratna Bhandar of the Puri Jagannath Temple is expected to begin in January 2026, officials said on Wednesday. The process is set to commence after the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) recently completed repair and conservation work on both the inner chamber (Bhitar Bhandar) and outer chamber (Bahara Bhandar) of the temple treasury.

Retired Orissa High Court judge Biswanath Rath, who heads the 16-member committee constituted to oversee the inventory of the sacred ornaments and jewels, said a crucial meeting has been scheduled with the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee at 4:30 pm on December 27, 2025. During the meeting, the committee will finalise the standard operating procedures and decide the exact dates for the counting process.

Judge Rath said that during the ASI repair work, all valuables were temporarily shifted to a secure strongroom within the temple premises. With repairs now completed, the treasures have been returned to their original chambers. The inventory exercise is expected to take two days to ensure careful handling and accuracy.

Once the dates are finalised, the Managing Committee will forward its resolution to the Odisha government for approval. Rath also cautioned that devotees’ darshan may be affected during the counting period and appealed for public cooperation, reiterating that January 2026 is the most likely timeline for the process to begin.

Powered by Froala Editor