Puri: All valuables stored inside inner chamber of Ratna Bhandar at the Jagannath Temple were successfully shifted to a temporary strong room at the temple, informed Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA)'s Chief Administrator Arabinda Padhee.

After coming out of the temple following 7.30 hour-long operation for shifting of valuables from the inner chamber of Ratna Bhandar, Padhee told reporters, "By the grace of Lord Jagannath, we completed the shifting of valuables and stored them inside a temporary strong room."

Briefing the media, Justice Biswanath Rath said, "We opened the inner chamber of Ratna Bhandar at 9.51 AM, the auspicious time fixed as per Hindu almanac, after offering prayer to Maa Bimala, Maa Lakshmi and Lord Loknath. The shifting process ended at 5.15 PM. All valuables were kept in containers as per the SOP and shifted those to the strong room."

Speaking more on valuables, he said, "There were 3 wooden almirahs, 1 steel almirah, 2 wooden chests and 2 iron chests inside the inner chamber.  All the containers have been shifted. As 2 iron chests could not be fit into the temporary strong room due to its large size, we transferred the valuables to other containers. All containers have been properly locked and the keys of the inner chamber will be handed over to the district treasury."

An 11-member team including core committee members of Ratna Bhandar monitoring committee and SJTA Chief Administrator reopened the inner chamber of Ratna Bhandar today, just 3 days after opening the temple's treasury on July 14.

The inner chamber of Ratna Bhandar was last opened in 1978.