Ratna Bhandar of Puri Jagannath Temple

• The Ratna Bhandar of Puri Jagannath Temple is a sacred repository of gold and jewels offered by devotees to the divine trio – Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra.
• This treasure trove is situated adjacent to the prayer hall on the north side of the temple, a testament to the unwavering faith of countless devotees.
• The Ratna Bhandar comprises two sections –
  • the Bhitar Bhandar (Inner Treasury) and
  • the Bahar Bhandar (Outer Treasury).
• Both of which were found to contain significant amounts of gold and silver items during the last inventory in 1978.
• According to legend, King Anangabhima Dev of Odisha (1211-1238) donated a staggering 2.5 lakh madhas of gold to craft exquisite jewellery for the deities.
• In 1952, the Odisha government enacted the Jagannath Temple Act to assume a greater role in the temple’s management, including maintaining an inventory of offerings in the Puri collectorate’s Record Room.

Latest News

• The Ratna Bhandar, the sacred treasury of the 12th-century Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, was recently opened after 46 years, following years of legal battles, controversies, and debates.
• A high-level committee was constituted to supervise the process of cataloguing the valuables in the Ratna Bhandar.
• The committee suggested different standard operating procedures and cataloguing of ornaments and safety of valuables.