The authorities of the Jagannath Temple in Puri have decided to complete the inventory of jewellery and valuables stored in the refurbished ‘Ratna Bhandar’ before April next year, an official said.

According to the official, the temple administration also plans to explore ways to recover silver ingots worth Rs 90 crore that were seized from the Emar Mutt in 2011. The 1,500-year-old monastery, situated just outside the Jagannath Temple, had its silver stored in the district armoury for security reasons.

The decision came during a key meeting of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) and the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee, chaired on Friday by Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, the titular king of Puri.

SJTA Chief Administrator Arabinda Padhee informed reporters after the meeting that all jewellery and valuables of the 12th-century shrine have been returned to the Ratna Bhandar following repair work. The SJTA had earlier announced on July 7 that the ASI had completed repairs of the treasury, which was opened in 2024 after four decades for renovation and inventory-related work.

“It has been decided that the inventory of the Ratna Bhandar items will be held in phases, keeping an eye on the rituals of the temple. However, it is aimed to complete the inventory by next Akshya Tritiya," said Padhee, an IAS officer.

The upcoming Akshya Tritiya falls on April 19, 2026, marking the annual beginning of Lord Jagannath’s chariot-making process.

Padhee added that the jewellery and other valuables will be digitised during the inventory process.

Addressing the issue of the silver ingots recovered from Emar Mutt after a failed theft attempt, he said the matter is currently pending before the high court. The temple management, he added, has resolved to pursue legal measures to bring the silver “under the ownership of the Lord”.

Emar Mutt, established in 1050 by philosopher-saint Ramanujacharya, lies at the south-eastern corner of the Jagannath Temple premises. In 2011, officials discovered 522 silver ingots weighing 18 tonnes and valued at Rs 90 crore. These ingots were seized by the state government and stored in the district armoury, prompting the mutt to move the high court claiming ownership. The mutt’s former Mahant was arrested in connection with the attempted theft.

The SJTA has since urged the state government to advocate for transferring ownership of the ingots to the Jagannath Temple.

Padhee said that those present at the meeting also approved the creation of a new set of gold ornaments for Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath. “It is decided to introduce ‘Swarna Alankara Dana Yojana’, for the purpose. The devotees can donate gold and silver for making a new set of ornaments,” he said.

A new facility will also soon allow devotees to make donations to the deity directly while withdrawing cash from ATMs in Puri, he added.

Under the servitors’ welfare scheme, Padhee announced that the financial assistance for a daughter’s marriage will be increased from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh, while support for the ‘Brataghara’ (sacred thread) ceremony will be enhanced from Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000.

The meeting also discussed concerns relating to ISKCON’s untimely “Rath Yatra”.