Bhubaneswar: Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday said the state govt will conduct inventory of the valuables in Ratna Bhandar of Puri Jagannath Temple and tally the findings with the previous exercise.
“A high-level team of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will start the inspection work of Ratna Bhandar before the repair and renovation work begins.Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has already written to ASI to start the work,” said Pradhan after visiting the Puri temple.
“State govt will prepare an inventory of the treasures of Ratna Bhandar. After the exercise, the old and current inventory list will be tallied to find out if everything is in order,” he added.
Valuables from the inner and outer chambers of the Ratna Bhandar were shifted to a temporary strongroom in two phases last month. The empty chests and cupboards were also shifted to a room on the temple premises. Repair of the treasury will start after the completion of scanning and inspection work.
We also published the following articles recently
The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration requested the Archaeological Survey of India to inspect and repair the Ratna Bhandar at the 12th-century shrine in Puri. The inspection will involve modern technology and might uncover secret tunnels. It follows the relocation of empty chests and almirahs to ensure the structure’s safety and conservation.
CM Bhupendra Patel laid the foundation stone for Phase 1 of the Becharaji temple reconstruction project. Scheduled changes include increasing the temple’s shikhar height to 86 feet and 1 inch. Patel also offered prayers at the site. The project aims to enhance and restore the temple’s structure, reinforcing its historical and cultural significance.
President Droupadi Murmu presented the Vigyan Ratna Puraskar to Govindrajan Padmanabhan, former director of IISc, making him the first recipient. The ceremony, held at Rashtrapati Bhawan, also saw the awarding of 13 Vigyan Shri Puraskars, 18 Vigyan Yuva-Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prizes, and a Vigyan Team Award to the Chandrayaan-3 mission scientists.