Editor’s Note
This article reports on a recent High Court order mandating a three-month verification and reconciliation of the inventory of the Jagannath Temple’s Ratna Bhandar. This directive addresses long-standing public concerns over the management and auditing of the temple’s treasury.
The Ratna Bhandar (treasure trove) of the world-famous Jagannath Temple in Puri has always been a center of discussion. On February 12, 2026, the Odisha High Court directed the Odisha government to verify a new inventory against the 1978 Raghuveer Das report list within the next three months and complete the reconciliation process. The court intervened due to the controversy stemming from the lack of an audit for several decades and the incident of the keys being lost until 2018. Consequently, the Ratna Bhandar was opened in 2024 after 46 years.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice M.S. Raman directed the government to complete the task of reconciling the report presented by the newly formed committee with the 1978 report within three months. This has once again brought the matter into the spotlight, attracting everyone’s attention due to its grandeur and mystery. The Ratna Bhandar controversy highlights administrative shortcomings that have persisted for decades, raising serious questions about transparency and accountability. Below, the mystery of the Ratna Bhandar and key initiatives taken by the court are explained with the help of major questions.
The Jagannath Puri Temple, one of India’s major pilgrimage sites, is a symbol of spiritual and cultural heritage. The 12th-century temple located in Puri, Odisha, is dedicated to Lord Jagannath (an incarnation of Vishnu), Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra. Among its several important locations is the Ratna Bhandar, which holds its own historical, spiritual, and material significance. This sacred chamber houses a vast repository of precious jewels, gold and silver ornaments, and artifacts, which have attracted historians, devotees, and archaeologists for centuries.
Between the 14th and 18th centuries, there were 18 attempts to breach the temple and loot the Ratna Bhandar. The temple’s historical text, “Madala Panji,” records detailed accounts of these foreign invasions. The valor and wisdom of the Hindu kings of that time kept it safe.
Puri’s Ratna Bhandar is not merely a chamber for storing wealth but also a symbol of India’s ancient, rich culture. It reminds us of a time when temples were centers of faith, wealth collection, and state power. Both sections of the Ratna Bhandar contain ornaments of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra. The origin of the temple’s treasure trove can be traced to its construction in the 12th century by King Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva of the Ganga dynasty. His son, Narasimha Deva, further advanced this legacy.
The temple’s origin is believed to date back to the 12th century with the construction by King Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva of the Ganga dynasty. According to one legend, King Anangabhima Deva (1211-1238) donated 2.5 lakh ‘madha’ of gold (1 madha = 1/2 tola = 5.8319 grams) for making ornaments for the deities, laying the foundation for this vast treasure trove. Subsequently, many kings, devotees, and donors made contributions over time.
An inscription on the 12th-century Digvijaya Door mentions that Gajapati King Kapilendra Deva, after conquering southern states in 1466 CE, donated the entire wealth brought on elephants to the Jagannath Temple. It was during this king’s reign that the practice of ‘Suna Besa’ or golden attire for the temple deities began. The famous historian R.D. Banerjee also mentioned this in his book “History of Odisha.”
On August 23, 1983, a ‘hundi’ (offering box) was installed in the Nat Mandap, and devotees were often seen putting gold, jewelry, and cash into it. According to a statement published by the Shri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), in October 2009, 980.990 grams of gold and 50,217.832 grams of silver were obtained from this hundi.
To understand the Ratna Bhandar simply, it is also essential to know that the Ratna Bhandar, located in the northern part of the Jagamohan (temple assembly hall), has two chambers: the outer chamber and the inner chamber.
Outer Chamber (Bahara Bhandar)
In the outer Ratna Bhandar, rituals like ‘Suna Besa’ (gold plating ceremony) are performed periodically, allowing ornaments to be retrieved under strict supervision. The temple administration, ASI (Archaeological Survey of India), and state officials coordinate entry, following astrological timings.
Inner Chamber (Bhitar Bhandar)
Due to religious customs and security, the inner chamber remains sealed for decades, containing rare and valuable items, and is generally inaccessible to the public. Opening it requires special rituals, government permission, and limited teams, as seen in the rare events of 1985 and 2024 amidst controversies.
Outrage spread in 2018 when the keys to the Ratna Bhandar were found missing during an inspection ordered by the court. Duplicate keys were found later, but the original keys were missing. The court formed the Raghuveer Das committee because of this.
The investigation began (the report has not been presented yet). The Odisha High Court (February 12, 2026) ordered the assembly to allow three months for reconciling the new inventory with the 1978 inventory.
The last inventory of the Ratna Bhandar was created on May 13, 1978. It recorded 454 gold and 293 silver items. This treasure included 454 gold items weighing 128.380 kilograms and silver items weighing 221.530 kilograms. Below is a timeline of when the Ratna Bhandar came into discussion thereafter.
1985: Treasure opened with gold and silver audit under J.B. Patnaik’s leadership
On July 14, 1985, during the tenure of then Chief Minister J.B. Patnaik, the treasure of the Jagannath Temple was opened. The audit recorded 454 gold ornaments weighing 12,838 carats and 236 silver ornaments weighing 18,815 carats, while eight gold idols and six silver utensils were not weighed.
Investigation under High Court order finds keys missing from Puri’s Jagannath Temple