The Ratna Bhandar, or treasure vault, of the Puri Jagannath Temple was opened on Sunday at 1:28 PM for the first time in 46 years.


"Today, as per Lord Jagannath’s wish, the Ratna Bhandar was opened after 46 years for a greater purpose," the Chief Minister’s Office announced on X.


An 11-member team, including the Chief Administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), the Puri Collector, the ASI Superintendent (Odisha circle), a member of the Ratna Bhandara sub-committee of the SJTA, two members from the supervisory panel formed by the Odisha government, a representative of Gajapati Maharaj (Puri’s erstwhile royal family), and four temple servitors, entered the treasury.


Before entering, SJTA Chief Administrator Arbinda Padhi emphasized that ensuring the structural safety of the inner Ratna Bhandar was the government's top priority, a task to be undertaken by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).


During the repair of the inner Ratna Bhandar, the jewels and valuables will be stored in wooden boxes and relocated to two designated areas within the temple, which will be monitored around the clock by CCTV, according to Padhi.


The inventory of the jewels and valuables will be conducted at a later stage, with a standard operating procedure prepared by the state government, stated the SJTA chief administrator.


State Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan mentioned that the Odisha government would seek assistance from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to ensure transparency during the inventory process.


The Odisha government had previously approved a proposal to open the treasure trove, years after a previous attempt was hindered by missing keys.


“The key is no longer an issue. Whether the keys work or not, the Ratna Bhandar will be opened. The lock has not been opened for a long time and might be rusted since it is made of iron. If necessary, we will break the lock,” said Justice Biswanath Rath, who chairs the committee supervising the process, a day before the treasury was opened.


To address tales of serpents guarding the treasure, the administration arranged for members of the snake helpline to be on standby. “Members of the snake helpline and a medical team will remain outside the temple administration office. If needed, their help will be sought,” added Justice Rath.


The Ratna Bhandar houses precious ornaments of the sibling deities — Lords Jagannath and Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra — donated by devotees and erstwhile kings over centuries. The treasure vault, located within the 12th-century shrine, has two chambers: Bhitar Bhandar (inner chamber) and Bahara Bhandar (outer chamber).


The outer chamber is opened regularly to retrieve ornaments for the deities during Suna Besha (golden attire), a key ritual during the annual Rath Yatra, and other major festivals throughout the year. The last inventory of the Ratna Bhandar was conducted in 1978, and although it was opened again in 1985, no new inventory was done at that time.


A previous attempt to open the treasure trove on April 4, 2018, was unsuccessful due to missing keys, leading to public outrage.


The opening of the Ratna Bhandar has been a contentious issue, especially during the recent Assembly elections, with the BJP criticizing the former Naveen Patnaik government over the matter. During an election rally on May 20, Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed that people were saying the keys to the treasure trove had been sent to Tamil Nadu, taking a dig at Patnaik’s close aide V K Pandian.