Bhubaneswar, March 10: The “divine” jewellery belonging to the presiding lords and the lady of Jagannath temple in Puri are virtually robbing its management’s sleep.

Financial advisers to the temple management believe that the rarest and expensive items inside the Ratna Bhandar or the temple treasury should be insured — and fast.

The temple’s financial and audit sub-committees came up with the proposal that has been recommended to the temple administration already.

Ratna Bhandar preserves some of the rarest gems, precious diamonds and ornaments belonging to the three presiding temple deities — Lord Jagannath, his sister Subhadra and elder brother Balabhadra. The matter of ensuring the treasure-trove would be discussed at a meeting to be held on March 13, where financial and technical aspects of the plan would be tabled.

However, the biggest hurdle on the policy path would be to correctly assess the worth of some of the rarest pieces of jewellery in the country.

The administration, in the past, did try to estimate the costs twice, but failed due to difference of opinions between jewellers. The frequent change in market prices of gems, stones and gold has multiplied the confusion.

“We had earlier brought in jewellers from Gujarat to assess costs, but they gave up as they had reportedly not seen so much jewellery together. Even this time we apprehend a similar situation,” said Rabindranath Pratihari, a temple committee member.

“It’s, however, too early to predict what will happen this time. But we won’t be hasty this time,” said the chief administrator of the temple, Suresh Mohapatra.

The temple treasure-trove has received all-India contributions from devotees from time to time. The most illustrious donors were undoubtedly the Hindu kings of Orissa, said researcher and historian Janmejaya Choudhury.

The Ratna Bhandar comprises two parts — the Bahar Bhandar (outer treasury) and the Bheetar Bhandar (inner treasury). The Bahar Bhandar houses day-to-day ornaments, including gold and stone necklaces, suna shribhuja (gold armlets), sri payara (gold feet) of Jagannath and Balabhadra and suna mukutas or crowns.

The Bhitar Bhandar includes “special” jewellery of pure gold, plates made out of gold, pearls, diamonds, corals and silver. In accordance with the provisions of Sri Jagannath Temple Act, 1954, Section 15, custody of the bhandars is now vested with the Sri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee.

Temple rules and practices state that jewels, gold and silk offered to deities by pilgrims are to be stored in the bhandars. The fabulous riches had induced many invaders to raid the temple from time to time.