Puri: Ratna Bhandar technical survey to continue for second day, Jagannath temple to remain closed from 1pm to 6pm
by Sunita · KalingaTVBhubaneswar: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) team will continue the technical survey of the Ratna Bhandar (treasury) of the Puri Jagannath Temple for the second day on Sunday. The survey will start from 2pm and will continue till 6pm in the evening today.
During the survey, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has restricted public darshan from 1 pm till 6pm. The main gates of the temple will be shut during the survey. However, devotees who wants to buy Mahaprasad during the mentioned time period, can do so by visiting the Anandbajar via the Singhdwar and will have to exit through the north door.
The survey will be conducted as per the state govt’s approved standard operating procedure (SOP), official sources said. A special schedule has also been finalized to ensure all rituals of Lord Jagannath and sibling deities were performed without any issues.
ASI started the survey along with experts from CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) on Saturday and it will be ongoing till Monday.
Chairman of the Ratna Bhandar inventory committee, Justice Biswanath Rath, said that the survey will ascertain whether there is any hidden chamber or tunnel in the Ratna Bhandar.
They have brought in a sophisticated radar for the purpose. After we get the survey report, the course of action for restoration and conservation of the Ratna Bhandar will be decided.”