A view of Shree Jagannath temple in Odisha’s Puri. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

“The Odisha government will unlock the ‘Ratna Bhandar’, the revered treasury of the 12th-century Jagannath temple in Puri, on July 14 after 46 years for an inventory of the valuables and the repair of the structure,” an official said. The treasury was last opened in 1978.

“The Ratna Bhandar of the Jagannath temple will be opened today at 1.28 p.m.,” said Justice Biswanath Rath, the chairman of the committee formed by the State government to supervise the inventory of valuables in the treasury. “The decision was taken at a meeting of the committee held in Puri,” he said.

“Members of the committee, including Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) chief administrator Arabinda Padhee, will visit the treasury after the reopening,” he added. “The place where the valuables will be kept temporarily has also been identified,” said the former Orissa High Court judge.

“The ritual of ‘Agnya’, in which approval is sought for the reopening of the Ratna Bhandar, was completed in the morning. The members of the committee will enter the shrine at 12 p.m. in traditional attire for the reopening,” said C.B.K. Mohanty, another member of the committee.

“Before reopening the treasury, we will seek the approval of Goddess Bimala, Goddess Laxmi, who is the owner of the treasury, and lastly seek the approval of Lord Lokanath, who is its caretaker,” Justice Rath said.

In the morning, Justice Rath and Mr. Padhee offered prayers before Lord Jagannath and his siblings at the Gundicha temple for the smooth completion of the works. “Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) have been made for the entire process,” Mr. Padhee said.

“Three SOPs have been made. One is related to the reopening of the Ratna Bhandar, the second for the management of the temporary Ratna Bhandar, and the third one is related to inventory of the valuables,” he said.

“The inventory work will not start today. It will be done after getting approval from the government on the engagement of valuers, goldsmiths and other experts,” he added.

“The government has decided to prepare a digital catalogue of the valuables in the Ratna Bhandar that will have details such as their weight and make,” another official said.

Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Superintendent DB Gadanayak said structural engineers, mechanical engineers and civil engineers will inspect the Ratna Bhandar for the repair work.

Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) personnel were seen entering the temple premises with lights that will be installed inside the Ratna Bhandar. It is also apprehended that there are snakes inside the treasury.

Snake Helpline member Subhendu Mallick said, “We have come here on the instruction of the State government. There will be two teams of snake catchers — one inside and another outside the temple. We will follow all instructions of the administration.”

Indore:

The Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court on Monday granted eight more weeks to Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to complete its scientific survey of the disputed medieval-era Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex.

However, a division bench of Justices SA Dharmadhikari and Gajendra Singh made it clear the ASI won’t be given any more time at the end of this 8-week period.

The bench fixed the next date of hearing on July 4 and directed ASI to submit its final report.

It also turned down a plea of a group of Muslims seeking a stay on the survey work.

Maulana Kamaluddin Welfare Society on behalf of Muslims objected to ASI’s request for more time. It had also claimed the ASI was carrying out excavations contrary to the order of the Supreme Court in the matter.

On April 1, the Supreme Court had made clear that “no physical excavation should be taken which will change the character of the premises in question,” while refusing to stay the “scientific survey” of Bhojshala.

On Monday, the High Court rejected the objection of Maulana Kamaluddin Welfare Society and said the respondent was free to approach the appropriate forum if any such violation was taking place.

Hindus consider Bhojshala, an ASI-protected 11th-century monument, to be a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while the Muslim community calls it Kamal Maula Mosque.

As per an arrangement made by the ASI on April 7, 2003, Hindus perform puja in the Bhojshala premises on Tuesdays, while Muslims offer namaz in the complex on Fridays.

On March 11, the HC ordered the ASI to conduct a “scientific survey” of the Bhojshala-Kamal Moula mosque complex within six weeks. The survey was ordered on a plea from an outfit called Hindu Front for Justice (HFJ). The survey started on March 22.

On April 22, the ASI filed an application stating it needed some more time for the survey to understand the nature of exposed portions of the structures in the disputed premises.

The ASI, in its application, stated a detailed survey of the complex and its peripheral area is in progress using scientific tools, and its team is conducting detailed documentation of the entire monument.

Excavation, which is a very systematic and slow process, is also in progress, and more time will be needed to understand the nature of exposed portions of the structures, it said.

“On close examination of the monument, it is observed that later filling in the entrance porch is hiding the original features of the structure, and its removal is to be done very carefully, without causing any damage to the original structure, which is a slow and time-taking process,” the ASI application stated.

The application also said the ASI has requested National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) to conduct a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey.

A NGRI team was surveying the entire area regularly, strictly complying with the directions passed by the High Court, the ASI plea said.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)