BHUBANESWAR – A fierce political dispute has erupted in Odisha over the potential opening of the Ratna Bhandar, the treasury of the revered Shree Jagannath Temple. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state unit recently met with Dibyasingha Deb, the chairman of the Managing Committee of Shree Jagannath Temple and the titular king of Puri, reiterating their demand for access to the treasury.
“Resentment is brewing among devotees of Shree Jagannath Temple over the non-opening of Ratna Bhandar. The government had established the Justice Raghubir Das Committee in 2018, but the findings of this committee remain undisclosed,” stated Sameer Mohanty, former BJP State president.
In response, the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government raised the issue of missing keys to the Ratna Bhandar, causing confusion among the public.
Despite the Orissa High Court’s order to form a committee on September 29 and the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee’s resolution to open the Ratna Bhandar on August 4, the State government has yet to make a decision.
The last inventory of jewelry and precious stones in the treasury took place in 1978. The state government has shown reluctance to open the treasury due to concerns for its contents. In 1978, when it was last opened, the Ratna Bhandar contained more than 1.2 quintal of gold and 2.2 quintal of silver, in addition to a substantial amount of gold ornaments still in use within the temple.
The BJP delegation expressed concerns about the safety of the Ratna Bhandar’s contents, and devotees are anxious to know if the treasures remain as secure as before.
The Odisha State unit of the Congress has also joined the demand for transparency, staging a significant procession in Puri. Congress President Sarat Pattnayak emphasized the need for the government to disclose information about the Ratna Bhandar.
The delay in opening the Ratna Bhandar has become an emotional and contentious issue. As impatience grows among devotees and suspicions rise regarding the safety of the temple’s ornaments, this matter is poised to become a significant political issue in the upcoming elections. The Biju Janata Dal, which has been in power for the past two decades, is facing mounting pressure on this front.
This unfolding political drama over the treasures of the Jagannath Temple has captured the attention of the public and is expected to have far-reaching consequences in the state’s political landscape.
