Bhubaneswar: The ongoing inventory of ornaments in the Ratna Bhandar has so far been consistent with the 1978 audit list, dispelling concerns over discrepancies, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) chief administrator Arabinda Kumar Padhee said.“Each item has been meticulously verified against its serial number in the 1978 list, ensuring accurate identification and alignment with the historical record,” Padhee said. He emphasized that all ornaments — gold, silver and gems — recorded in the 1978 inventory have matched the current audit. “Not a single discrepancy has come to light. The entire exercise is being conducted with utmost transparency, and we feel blessed for that,” he added, rubbishing rumours of missing articles. Padhee noted that the process is being video-graphed, with each item photographed and 3D-mapped under CCTV surveillance, in the presence of authorized servitors. “The entire process is fair and transparent. We count on the blessings of Mahaprabhu Shree Jagannath to complete this sensitive assignment soon,” he said. The inventory, which began on March 25, has so far spanned nine days, totalling 57 hours and 8 minutes. While currently it has been paused, it is expected to resume on or after May 11. The last inventory, conducted between May 13 and July 23, 1978, had lasted 72 days. Records from that exercise had listed 454 gold items weighing 12,838 bharis (one bhari equals approximately 10-11 grams) and 293 silver items weighing 22,153 bharis, stored across the inner, outer and chalanti (living) chambers. The audit of the living and outer chambers has already been completed, while the inner chamber is currently under review.
