Dismissing allegation of deliberate delay in opening the treasury, he said: “Both inner and outer Ratna Bhandar are located adjacent to Srimandir Jagmohan. Any repair work by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in the inner portion will disrupt darshan of deities.”

In August last year, the managing committee of temple had recommended the state government to allow ASI to inspect the inner Ratna Bhandar (inner vault) during Rath Yatra next year for ascertaining its structural stability. However, no decision has been taken regarding inventory of precious jewellery stored inside it.

This followed a letter from the ASI, seeking permission to examine and conserve the Ratna Bhandar. The national conservation agency had also written similar letters in 2018 and 2022.

In 2018, ASI’s technical expert committee had inspected Ratna Bhandar from outside and had mentioned about the structure being in a dilapidated condition with seepage from walls, dislocation of some stones and weakening of plaster at some places as observed from the hollow sound on tapping the surface.

Multiple PILs were filed at the Orissa High Court, seeking a direction to the state government to take steps for opening of Ratna Bhandar. In September, the HC directed the state government to constitute a high-level committee, if the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee (SJTMC) approaches it, for supervising the process of inventory of the valuables stored in the Ratna Bhandar of the 12th century shrine.

According to official sources, the last inventory of the Ratna Bhandar was made between May 13 and July 23, 1978. Though it was opened again on July 14, 1985, the inventory was not updated.

Hundreds of devotees turned up to participate in the Rath Yatra at Konark, which is known for the famous Sun Temple, in the morning. After the performing puja to Sun God and traditional rituals, the idol of Sun God was placed on a beautifully decorated chariot.

The devotees, pandits and sadhus pulled the chariot to the banks of river Chandrabhaga. The chariot will be stationed there till Magha Sapatami (seventh day of Magha month in Odia calendar) when the devotees will take holy dip in Chandrabhaga and pull the chariot back to original abode of Sun God.

The festival has been organised by Abadhuta Mutt and Odisha Soura Brahmin families for several generations. Though traditionally, it is believed that participating in this Rath Yatra cures several diseases and ensure a healthy body, the festival is celebrated for world peace and amity.

As per mythology, Samba, the son of Lord Krishna, was cursed by his father to lead a life of diseases. After realising his mistake, Samba worshipped Sun God and got cured of the diseases with his blessings. For this reason, Surya Rath Yatra is celebrated in honour of Sun.

This AC Super Deluxe bus service is part of the Odisha government’s plan to mobilise around 10,000 people daily for a month to visit Srimandir Parikrama Prakalpa – a Rs 800-crore heritage corridor around Puri’s renowned Jagannath Temple – which was inaugurated on January 17.

In the first phase, the service will be made available between 12 district headquarters and Puri, LAccMI_Odisha posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Notably, the OSRTC had earlier shared the route chart for buses from 15 districts with January 16 as the date for inauguration.

As per the revised schedule decided by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), the darshan of sibling deities will be closed at 11 pm on Sunday. The ‘Pahada’ ritual of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra will be performed at this time in the closed doors.

The doors of the 12th century shrine will reopen to facilitate darshan by the devotees at 1 am on New Year Day on Monday. Then the morning rituals of the deities will be performed in presence of the devotees.

From the New Year, the dress code and other restrictions will come into force inside the temple. As announced by the SJTA earlier, the visitors will have to wear decent outfits to enter the temple.

Male devotees should wear traditional attire, pants and shirts, while female devotees should come wearing sarees and salwar suits. Those coming in half pants, ripped jeans, and sleeveless shirts will not be allowed into the shrine.

Similarly, use of polythene bags to carry anything and chewing paan and tobacco have been banned from the day.

Meanwhile, the district administration has made elaborate arrangements to facilitate smooth darshan by the devotees and ensure their security on the New Year Day.

According to sources, the police was the lookout for the criminal, Kalu Bhola of Batagaon under Puri Sadar police station for some time. On being informed that Kalu was present in Suanda village under Satyabadi block, a police team rushed to the spot.

The team, led by IIC of Satyabadi police station, surrounded Kalu’s hideout and told him to surrender. But he started firing at them and the IIC escaped narrowly in the incident.

The police fired back at Kalu in self-defence and the fire exchange continued for some time. While Kalu was trying to escape, bullets fired by police hit his right leg.

Following this, the police nabbed Kalu and admitted him in district headquarters police station at Puri. Kalu has 18 different criminal cases pending against him in separate police stations in the district, the sources said.

As per reports, the local people found smoke coming out of the windows of the post-graduate department of Economics in the college campus in the evening and informed the Fire Brigade.

The Fire service personnel rushed to the college and found the office of the department on fire. They managed to extinguish the flames in a short time.

But the college sources said several important files and other documents besides furniture in the office room have turned into ashes. Nobody has been injured in the incident, but stationery products worth lakhs of rupees have been destroyed, they added.

Though the exact cause of fire has not been ascertained, short circuit in electricity supply is suspected to have ignited the fire.

The chief minister approved the proposal after discussion with the stakeholders based on the feedback given by 5T and Nabin Odisha chairman VK Pandian.

It was pointed out during the discussion that Jagannath temple draws thousands of devotees every day. In the post-COVID period, the daily footfall of devotees was estimated to be about 50,000. It doubles and triples during the weekends and on important religious occasions.

The temple is expected to witness substantial increase in flow of devotees after dedication of the Heritage Corridor Project – Srimandir Parikrama Prakalp to the public.

Considering these, the Special Security Battalion would be formed. The new battalion would have around 1190 personnel and would be placed under the command and control of Puri SP.

It would have the primary responsibility of providing full-proof security to the temple. Its personnel will be specially trained for better crowd management and devotee facilitation for ensuring a hassle-free and orderly darshan by them.

Chief administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Ranjan Das said this while speaking to media persons in Puri on Friday. The darshan of the deities in the temple by the Divyangs was discussed at the meeting of Niti Sub-Committee on the day, he added.

He said a special ramp will be constructed under the heritage corridor project to enable the physically challenged devotees to enter the temple. The arrangement will be made at north gate of the temple and opened to the devotees after inauguration of the project on January 17, 2024.

“A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) will be made for the Divyangs keeping the tradition and practices of the temple in view. Further discussion will be held on taking them to the main temple in future,” he added.

Das further said the darshan of physically challenged devotees will be facilitated with cooperation of Chhatish Nijog and management committee of the temple. Besides, a separate resting accommodation will be made under the project near the north gate, he added.

Welcoming the decision of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) to strictly implement dress code for devotees coming to the temple, secretary of Brahman Nijog in Lingaraj temple Biranchi Narayan Pati told the media that they would submit a similar proposal to the temple administration.

Admitting that some devotees were not respecting the sanctity and dignity of the temple by wearing indecent dresses, he said it is high time the administration take a strong step in this regard. At the same time, he expressed his doubt about sincerity of the administration in this regard.

The SJTA had taken decision on enforcing the dress code in Jagannath temple at a meeting with the servitors on the issue on Monday.

“Our temple is a holy place. People from around the world come here with devotion and religious belief. It is our responsibility to maintain the dignity that the temple it holds in the hearts of millions of devotees. Unfortunately, some visitors have been found visiting the temple without caring the religious sentiments of others,” Ranjan Kumar Das, chief administrator of SJTA had said.

On the dress code to be implemented from January 1, 2024, he said people wearing half plants, shorts, torn jeans, skirts and sleeveless dresses will not be allowed entry into the temple. Decent dresses reflecting the dignity of the temple and religious sentiments of the devotees will be ensured during the checking, he added.

The two-judge bench of Chief Justice Subhasis Talapatra and Justice Savitri Ratho reserved judgment after hearing the submissions of senior advocate Buddhadev Routray on behalf of the temple managing committee and senior advocate Pitambar Acharya representing the petitioner.

Acharya submitted that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), in an affidavit, had stated that inspection of the interior of Ratna Bhandar has not been possible for over five years for want of permission from Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA). Though the ASI had sought permission for it in a letter dated August 8, 2022, to the chief administrator of SJTA, it is still not given, he added.

Routray pointed out that a resolution for opening the inner chamber of the Ratna Bhandar for inspection and repair work and inventory of ornaments, jewellery, and other valuables during Rath Yatra next year, was passed by the managing committee in a meeting held on August 4, 2023.