Odisha to Issue SOP for Jagannath Temple Ratna Bhandar Inventory

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government will soon issue a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for conducting the inventory of ornaments and valuables stored in the Ratna Bhandar of the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri.

This was announced by Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Sunday. “The state government has initiated the process for the inventory of ornaments at the Puri Jagannath Temple’s Ratna Bhandar. The exercise will be carried out inside the Ratna Bhandar, and an SOP for the procedure will be released soon,” he said.

The minister further stated that the process had been delayed due to the heavy influx of devotees during the holy month of Kartika, adding that the government will expedite the inventory work after November 5, once the sacred month concludes.

Restoration Work Completed in July

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had completed the repair and restoration of the Ratna Bhandar in July 2025. Before the renovation, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) had relocated ornaments and other valuables from both the inner and outer chambers to two secure rooms within the temple premises.

The treasures and ornaments of the presiding deities were shifted back to the renovated Ratna Bhandar on September 23.

16-Member Committee to Supervise Inventory

The state government had earlier constituted a 16-member committee, headed by former Orissa High Court judge Justice Biswanath Rath, to oversee the opening and inventory of the Ratna Bhandar.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has also nominated two officials to assist in the inventory process. Notably, the last official inventory of the Ratna Bhandar was conducted in 1978.