Cuttack: About one and a half quintal (149 kg, 460 grams) of gold and 184 kg of silver ornaments are still in the Ratna Bhandar of Puri Srimandir, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) today informed the Orissa High Court through an affidavit.
The affidavit stated that Ratna Bhandara was last opened in the year 1978. The inventory of the Ratna Bhandara including all the gold and silver jewelries was counted during that time. Same amount of ornaments are still in the treasury, it added.
According to the affidavit, the Ratna Bhandara has about 150 Kilograms of Gold and 184 kilograms of silver jewelry. The ornaments of Bhitara Ratna Bhandara are never used for the deities. While the Bhitara Ratna Bhandara has 50 Kg 600 grams of gold jewelry and 134 Kg 50 grams of Silver jewelry, the Bahara Ratna Bhandara has 95 Kg 320 grams Gold jewelry and 29 Kg 480 grams silver jewelry.
The administration further stated that there are 3.480 kg gold and 300 kg 503 grams of silver jewelry in the Chalanti Bhandara. These ornaments are used during different rituals of the deities.
A division bench of justice Subhasis Talapatra and justice Sabitri Rath has posted the matter for next hearing on August 14.
