Bhubaneswar: The state govt on Wednesday started an inventory of the Jagannath temple’s Ratna Bhandar, nearly 48 years after its last audit in 1978. The newly-compiled list of the shrine’s jewellery is being cross-checked against the previous records.Ratna Bhandar’s valuables are traditionally classified into three categories based on their use for the deities. Jewellery that has not been used for a long time is stored in the inner chamber; ornaments used only during major festivals or annual ceremonies are kept in the outer chamber; and articles meant for daily rituals, known as the Chalanti Bhandar or living chamber, are stored inside the outer chamber.On the first day of the exercise, a 13-member team comprising temple officials, goldsmiths, gemologists, a Reserve Bank of India representative and members of the high-level Ratna Bhandar committee carried out the inventory of daily-use ornaments linked to the Chalanti Bhandar.“About 80% of the jewellery in the Chalanti Bhandar has been counted and tallied with previous records. As per the standard operating procedure, we are creating a digital catalogue of the valuables, detailing their names, types and weights through comprehensive photography, videography and 3D mapping,” temple’s chief administrator Arabinda Kumar Padhee told reporters.Authorities did not disclose specific details of the jewellery audited on the first day. The exercise began at 12:09 pm and concluded at 6:30 pm. No inventory will be conducted on Thursday, and the next date to resume the process will be announced soon, temple officials said.The last inventory, conducted between May 13 and July 23, 1978, spanned 72 days. Records from that exercise listed a total of 454 gold items weighing 12,838 bharis (one bhari equals approximately 10–11 grams) and 293 silver items weighing 22,153 bharis.The inner chamber then contained 367 gold ornaments—including necklaces, chains and crowns—totalling 4,364 bharis, along with 231 silver items weighing 14,878 bharis. The outer chamber had 87 gold items weighing 8,474 bharis and 62 silver items weighing 7,274 bharis.
