The Revered Ratna Bhandar of Jagannath Temple

  • The Odisha Government recently unlocked the revered Ratna Bhandar of the 12th-century Jagannath temple in Puri after 46 long years.
  • The Ratna Bhandar, located on the northern side of the Jagamohana (assembly hall of the temple), is a collection of priceless treasures.
  • The treasure trove includes jewellery and adornments of the sibling deities Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra offered by former kings and devotees from around the globe over centuries.
  • The precious collection also contains 128.38 kg of gold and 221.53 kg of silver as per the last inventory made in 1978.
  • The Ratna Bhandar includes two chambers - the outer chamber (Bahara Bhandar) and the inner chamber (Bhitar Bhandar) that remained closed for 46 years.
  • The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) maintains the custody of the temple and inspected Ratna Bhandar structurally in 2008 but hadn't entered the inner chamber.

Jagannath Temple

 

Key Facts about the Jagannath Temple in Puri

  • The 12th-century Jagannath temple in Puri, dedicated to the worship of Lord Jagannath, is one of the most sacred Hindu shrines in India and is referred to as 'White Pagoda'.
  • It forms a part of the Char Dhams, four of the most sacred pilgrimage sites for Hindus, and the Golden Triangle of Odisha, known for their tourist interest.
  • The Golden Triangle includes the City of Temples, Bhubaneswar, and the Sun Temple of Konark, also referred to as the 'Black Pagoda'.
  • The temple was constructed by King Ananta Varman Chodaganga Deva from the Ganga Dynasty in the 12th century and stands as a fine specimen of Kalinga architecture.
  • The architecture includes distinctive curvilinear towers, intricate carvings, and ornate sculptures with four gates each facing in cardinal directions, named after different animals.
  • Hindus believe the power of 'Yama', the god of death, is nullified in Puri due to the presence of Lord Jagannath, dubbing it as 'Yamanika Tirtha'.
  • The temple hosts major festivals like Snana Yatra, Netrotsava, Rath Yatra, and Sayan Ekadasi.

Architecture of the Temple (Odisha or Kalinga School of Architecture)

  • The Jagannath temple showcases the Kalinga style of architecture, a sub-school of the Nagara school that developed under the reign of the Kalinga Empire.
  • The exterior walls of the temple were elaborately adorned with intricate carvings while the interior walls were kept plain.
  • The architecture deviated from the use of pillars in the porch and opted for iron girders to support the roof.
  • The shikhara (mountain peak) of the temple, referred to as 'rekha deul' in the Odisha School of Architecture, features vertical roofs that curve inwards sharply.