Historic Revamp: The Restoration of Lord Jagannath Temple's 'Ratna Bhandar'

The 'Ratna Bhandar,' the treasured chamber of the Lord Jagannath Temple, is safe with repair work nearing completion. This was confirmed by Puri's titular king, Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, on Thursday.

Over the past 11 months, the Archaeological Survey of India has conducted repairs to the 12th-century shrine under inspection by the Gajapati Maharaja, offering reassurance on the safety and integrity of the structure. Accompanied by Shree Jagannath Temple Administration Chief Administrator Arabinda Padhee and ASI's technical team, they assessed the structural condition of both outer and inner chambers.

The repair initiative involved replacing around 600 stone slabs with new ones, fashioned in traditional design to maintain historical authenticity while strengthening safety measures. The chamber, opened after 46 years, is receiving final touches, with expectations to finalize by Niladri Bije. Additional security measures include new stainless-steel gates and planned silver cladding.

(With inputs from agencies.)