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The folks at Puri’s Jagannath temple are gearing up to open the Ratna Bhandar, the sacred treasury, for a stocktake on July 14 after almost half a century. The big worry is the possibility of snakes lurking around, so the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) is hunting for a talented snake charmer to ensure everyone’s safety. They’re also keeping a medical team on standby with all the necessary supplies.
“We have sent a draft SOP on the opening of Ratna Bhandar to the government for approval, where we have sought deployment of a snake charmer and a doctor/team of doctors during the opening of the divine treasury,” shared a senior SJTA official with Times of India.
The last time Ratna Bhandar saw daylight was back on July 14, 1985, when they retrieved a gold ornament for Lord Balabhadra.The last audit of this treasure trove happened between May 13 and July 23, 1978.There are stories and myths floating around about venomous king cobras hanging out in the Ratna Bhandar.
“Though we are curious to know the types of ancient valuables in Ratna Bhandar, we are equally scared of the possible presence of snakes,” confessed one of the servitors from a 16-member committee that pushed to open Ratna Bhandar for inventory and upkeep starting July 14.
Another servitor named Harekrushna Mahapatra mentioned that recently they found snakes near the temple while sprucing things up under the Jagannath Heritage Corridor Project.“Since it is an age-old temple, there are small holes and cracks at several places.There is a possibility of snakes slithering into Ratna Bhandar through holes.Adequate precautions should be taken during the opening of Ratna Bhandar,” Mahapatra pointed out.
As word spreads about possible snake sightings and this historic event, everyone at the temple is wide awake and taking every precaution necessary.The fact that SJTA has drawn up a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) shows just how dedicated they are to safeguarding these valuable artifacts while looking out for team members during this process.Balancing the excitement of uncovering ancient treasures with keeping any potential snake surprises at bay is their top priority.
It’s still up in the air whether those tales of venomous king cobras hold water or not.But one thing’s for sure – everyone’s pretty stoked about cracking open that Ratna Bhandar, all while staying alert and playing it safe!
