Demand for opening of Jagannath Temple's Ratna Bhandar mounts
On Friday, the demand for the opening of Ratna Bhandar in Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha's pilgrim town of Puri gained traction.
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Puri: On Friday, the demand for the opening of Ratna Bhandar in Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha's pilgrim town of Puri gained traction.
Members of two prominent organizations demonstrated in the seaside pilgrim town, demanding that the authorities take immediate action to open the Ratna Bhandar, or treasury chambers, of the 12th century shrine.
In Puri, activists from the Jagannath Sena and the Bharatiya Vikas Parishad (BVP) demonstrated in support of the demand. They claimed that opening the chambers was required to take inventory and ensure the structure's safety.
Both organizations' activists held rallies in the pilgrim town and marched towards the Srimandir.
Members of the BVP gathered in front of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) office to demand the opening of the Ratna Bhandar.
They also demanded that the ornaments and precious jewelry inside the Ratna Bhandar be audited. They sent a memorandum to the Chief Administrator of SJTA in this regard.
The organization's leaders stated that they raised the issue two months ago. The temple administration and the state government were asked to open the Ratna Bhandar within a week, but no steps have been taken, they claim, adding that an indefinite agitation will be launched if the government fails to meet the demand.
Leaders of the Jagannath Sena wanted to know why the state government is afraid to open the Ratna Bhandar. They found it difficult to understand why information about Lord Jagannath's ornaments had not been made public.
Meanwhile, SJTA Chief Administrator Ranjan Kumar Das confirmed receiving the memorandum requesting Ratna Bhandar's reopening. The case is still pending in court, and a decision will be made by the appropriate authority, he added.
