Puri: The inventory process of the Ratna Bhandar of Jagannath Temple will resume from May 11, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) announced on Saturday.

SJTA Chief Administrator Arabinda Kumar Padhee said the counting of precious ornaments and jewels stored in the inner chamber of the Ratna Bhandar had been temporarily paused due to the ongoing Chandan Jatra rituals of the deities.

“The inventory process will recommence from Monday as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP),” Padhee informed.

Around 20% inventory of Ratna Bhandar completed so far

According to SJTA, the inventory exercise was carried out for nearly 57 hours and 8 minutes during the previous nine-day phase. During this period, more than 120 ornaments kept inside the inner chamber were counted, completing nearly 20 per cent of the total inventory work.

Officials stated that the inventory inside the inner chamber could be conducted only for four days out of the nine-day schedule.

SJTA to cross-verify Ratna Bhandar records with 1978 documents

As per the approved SOP, once the counting is completed, all items will be cross-verified with the temple records of 1978. Each ornament will undergo weighing and identification with assistance from gemologists before being digitally documented and securely packed.

Temple authorities said gold, silver and other valuables will be wrapped in colour-coded cloths and preserved systematically in specially prepared chests according to their metal classification to ensure transparency and long-term preservation.

The inventory exercise had originally begun on March 25 under extensive security arrangements involving temple servitors, bank officials, gemologists and representatives of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

SJTA Chief Administrator Arabinda Kumar Padhee earlier stated that nearly 80 per cent of the movable treasures inside the Chalanti Ratna Bhandar had already been counted using modern technologies such as 3D mapping, photography and videography during the first phase of the process.

The second phase of the inventory had been conducted from April 8 to 10, while regular rituals of Lord Jagannath and public darshan continued without disruption throughout the exercise.