No hidden chamber in Puri Jagannath temples Ratna Bhandar: ASI
Puri, Jul 29 (PTI) The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Tuesday said there is no hidden chamber in the Ratna Bhandar of the Jagannath temple in Puri.
The ASI has recently completed the restoration and repair of the Ratna Bhandar.
In a post on X, detailing the restoration works, it said, '..there were no hidden spaces (in Ratna Bhadar)." The ASI said it was confirmed on the basis of a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey.
It said the Ratna Bhandar, or treasury, comprises two parts — 'Bhitara' Ratnabhandara and 'Bahara' Bhandara, which are separated by an iron gate, locked from the outside.
'After inspecting both the chambers, it was decided to take up a GPR survey to identify if there are any hidden chambers or shelves inside the walls or under the floor," it said.
'The report of the #GPR survey conducted in September 2024 confirmed that there were no hidden spaces. Following the report, conservation began on 17 December 2024. It started with scaffolding in both Bhitara and Bahara Bhandara," it added.
The Ratna Bhandar is attached to the northern entrance of the Jagamohana or assembly hall of the temple, the ASI said.
Constructed from khondalite stone, Ratna Bhandar was intended to house the valuables of the Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Shree Sudarshana, it said.
The conservation work was carried out at the Ratna Bhandar in two phases, from December 17, 2024, to April 28, 2025, and from June 28 to July 7.
As part of it, the ASI team undertook de-plastering of the inner ceiling, corbels, niches, walls, and outer facade to assess the structure.
'Damaged stones and loose joints were discovered. Joints were sealed, followed by chemical cleaning, both inside and outside," it said.
The damaged stone pieces were replaced with new khondalite blocks matching the original profiles. All corbel stones were examined and replaced as needed, it added.
The rust-damaged wrought iron beams in the niches were also replaced with stainless steel box beams, and grouting was done in various locations, the agency said.
Ratna Bhandar's flooring was also replaced with granite stone over a cushioned sandstone base, ensuring slope for drainage and smooth door operation. The inner iron grill gate was also chemically cleaned and repainted with golden preservative paint, it said.
The inner chamber of the Ratna Bhandar was opened after 46 years on July 14 last year for the repair work, and inventory. PTI AAM AAM SOM
view comments
First Published:
July 29, 2025, 16:15 IST
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
21 minutes ago
- News18
New Odisha govt initiative to identify, preserve heritage sites in rural areas
Last Updated: Berhampur, Aug 2 (PTI) The Odisha government has launched an initiative to identify, preserve and promote heritage sites and artifacts in rural areas, officials said. The data collected through the 'Panchayat Dharohar' programme with the involvement of elected members of the panchayats will be uploaded on the 'Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar' platform of the Ministry of Culture for future development, they said. Odisha has around 6,800 gram panchayats. The panchayats can play a major role in the identification, documentation, sustainable conservation and promotion of heritage sites, a recent letter issued by the Department of Panchayat Raj to district collectors said. 'We have received data of around 20 sites so far and expect to receive more in the next few days," said Prahallad Pradhan, District Panchayat Officer (DPO) of Ganjam. There are 503 panchayats in the district. 'Several heritage sites exist in rural areas of the culturally rich Ganjam district. There is a need to urgently identify those for their development. We thank the government for this initiative," said Subash Chandra Padhy, a retired professor at Berhampur University. Manoranjan Gouda, sarpanch of the Kaithakhandi panchayat in Digapahandi block, said they have already identified several such sites. 'We have discussed the matter with other village heads and urged them to accord this exercise high priority. The heritage sites are the pride of the district," said Gouda, who is also the president of the Ganjam Sarpanch Association. PTI CORR AAM RBT view comments First Published: August 02, 2025, 14:15 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Cleaner Cities Start At Home: 5 Simple Waste Segregation Habits That Matter
Last Updated: Like building wealth, sustainability thrives on small, consistent action. A single house using a three-bin system for a year can divert over half a tonne of waste from landfills. Every year, World Environment Day serves as a calendar nudge, like a Facebook birthday reminder, to momentarily reflect on our planet before slipping back into business as usual. But this year's theme, plastic pollution, isn't something we can afford to forget. Our landfills, much like unpaid credit card bills, are quietly collecting interest, now in the form of microplastics found in our water, food, and even air. According to the Scaling Our Waste Mountains Report (Godrej Consumer Products & Dasra, 2023), a staggering 70–80% of urban waste in India is unsegregated, meaning most of it can't be recycled and ends up in landfills. This also puts millions of waste workers at risk, exposing them to hazardous waste without protection. The good news? A major part of the solution begins right at home. 1. Use the Three-Bin Method 2. Compost Your Kitchen Waste Food waste makes up over half of an urban Indian dustbin. When dumped, it releases methane and pollutes groundwater. But composting transforms it into nutrient-rich fertiliser for your garden or terrace farm. 3. Rinse Before You Recycle Dry waste like paper and plastic holds value, but only if it's clean and uncontaminated. A quick rinse of plastic containers ensures higher resale and recovery rates. Dirty recyclables, on the other hand, end up in landfills. Consider it the environmental equivalent of pruning underperforming assets from your investment portfolio. 4. Don't Mix Your Waste Portfolio When you mix waste, you destroy its value. It disrupts processing, increases landfill load, and puts over three million informal workers, many without gloves or safety gear, at health risk. Mixed waste isn't just a processing issue; it's an ethical one. 5. Support the People Behind the Process India's informal waste-pickers recover up to 30% of all recyclables, yet lack formal recognition or resources. Cities like Pune, through the SWaCH model, have shown that integrating these workers improves both waste recovery and livelihoods. Supporting local collection drives and cooperative models is a direct investment in environmental and social equity. view comments First Published: August 02, 2025, 12:43 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
CSIR UGC NET June 2025 Answer Key Released, Raise Objection By August 3
Last Updated: CSIR UGC NET June 2025 was conducted on July 28. A total of 1,95,241 candidates registered for the exam this time. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the CSIR UGC NET June 2025 provisional answer key today, August 2. Candidates who appeared for the exam can now download the provisional answer key and their response sheets through the official website, The last date to challenge the provisional answer key is August 3, 2025. Candidates will be required to pay a fee of Rs 200 per question challenged. To raise an objection, candidates must provide adequate evidence to support their claim. All challenges will be reviewed by a panel of subject-matter experts, and if any changes are found to be valid, they will be incorporated into the final answer key. Step 1: Visit the official website, Step 2: On the homepage, click on the June 2025 provisional answer key link. Step 3: In the newly opened tab enter your application number and date of birth. Step 7: Upload supporting documents for your claim by clicking the 'Choose File' option. CSIR UGC NET June 2025 Answer Key Direct Link Here 'Challenges made by the candidates will be verified by a panel of Subject Experts. If the challenges of any candidates is found correct, the Answer Key will be revised and applied in the response of all the candidates accordingly. Based on the Final Answer Key, the result will be prepared and declared. No individual candidates will be informed about the acceptance/non-acceptance of his/her challenge. The Key finalized by the Experts after the challenge will be final," reads the official notice. The CSIR UGC NET 2025 exam was conducted in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode on July 28 in 416 examination centres located across 218 cities. A total of 1,95,241 candidates registered for the exam this time. view comments First Published: August 02, 2025, 12:25 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
