Puri temple begins Ratna Bhandar inventory 1st time since 1978
For the first time since 1978, officials have started counting and checking Lord Jagannath's treasures inside Puri temple's Ratna Bhandar.
The process kicked off on March 25 and covers everything from gold to diamonds tucked away in the inner chamber.
After today's session, the inventory will pause for Mahabishuba Sankaranti and pick up again on April 16.
Ratna Bhandar security and gem verification
Security was super tight: authorized persons entering the inner chamber went through checks, with the district treasury holding the keys.
Gem experts are helping identify all those precious stones to make sure everything matches records from nearly five decades ago.
Even with all this happening behind the scenes, daily rituals are still on track and devotees can visit for darshan, though access is a bit limited right now.
The whole effort is about making things transparent for everyone who cares about the temple's legacy.