Kamal Ghorui
Bhubaneswar: The ongoing inventory of ancient gems and jewellery of Jagannath Temple’s Ratna Bhandar captures a striking contrast between the 1978 audit — done painstakingly under flickering lamplight with minimal support — and the present-day effort being held after 48 years, which is powered by uninterrupted electricity, monitored by CCTV and enriched with 3D mapping technology.According to officials of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), the inventory, which began on Wednesday, shows the journey from manual record keeping to innovation-backed heritage management, where faith and technology converge to preserve priceless treasures for generations to come.“The ongoing inventory of the Ratna Bhandar is a unique opportunity. We are striving to honour the Sevayat-led heritage of record-keeping while embracing modern tools such as digitization, photography, videography and 3D mapping of the valuables and ornaments, to safeguard them for posterity. I feel deeply humbled to be a part of this divine responsibility in the service of Mahaprabhu Shree Jagannath,” SJTA’s chief administrator Arabinda Kumar Padhee said.Servitors recalled the challenges of the 1978 audit, when treasures were weighed under flickering lamps with outdated scales, raising doubts about accuracy. “Despite the limitations, the work was carried out with devotion and diligence. With advanced facilities now, we expect a high standard and accurate inventory of each and every article of the deities,” senior servitor Jagannath Swain Mohapatra said.Fast forward to 2026, the scene inside the Ratna Bhandar is strikingly different now. “The inventory is supported by modern facilities unimaginable then — generators for uninterrupted power, cooling machines for comfort and a dedicated medical team on standby for those engaged in the divine exercise,” another official said.About 20 people, including two gemologists, two goldsmiths, one Reserve Bank of India staff, some servitors, SJTA authorities and photographers are engaged in the inventory task.Security has also reached unprecedented levels. Renowned sand sculptor and former member of Jagannath Temple managing committee, Sudarsan Patnaik, who is part of the Ratna Bhandar supervisory committee, said he had to remove his wedding ring as well before entering the chamber. All participants have to be dressed in traditional dhotis and are frisked using modern gadgets.“We all have taken oath before the deities to maintain complete confidentiality about the details of the inventory. The arrangements are flawless to maintain transparency,” Pattnaik said.Puri SP Prateek Singh confirmed strict access control, multi-layered security and deployment of strike forces at key locations inside the temple. Executive magistrates, fire services, medical teams and anti-sabotage units are also in place to handle contingencies. “Every measure has been taken to ensure the safety of the temple’s priceless treasures throughout the inventory process,” Singh said.
