ASI Continues Technical Survey of Puri Jagannath Temple’s Ratna Bhandar for Hidden Chambers

Bhubaneswar: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will continue its technical survey of the Ratna Bhandar (treasury) of the Puri Jagannath Temple for the second consecutive day on Sunday. The survey will take place from 2 pm to 6 pm today.

During this time, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has restricted public darshan from 1 pm to 6 pm, and the temple’s main gates will remain closed. However, devotees wishing to purchase Mahaprasad can visit Anandbajar via the Singhdwar and exit through the north door during this period.

The survey is being conducted in accordance with the state government’s approved standard operating procedure (SOP), according to official sources. A special schedule has also been arranged to ensure that all rituals of Lord Jagannath and His sibling deities proceed without any interruptions.

ASI, along with experts from the CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), began the survey on Saturday, which will continue until Monday.

Justice Biswanath Rath, Chairman of the Ratna Bhandar inventory committee, stated that the purpose of the survey is to determine if there are any hidden chambers or tunnels in the Ratna Bhandar. A sophisticated radar has been brought in for this purpose, and the survey report will guide the next steps for the restoration and conservation of the Ratna Bhandar.