Finance
The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) will begin laser scanning of Ratna Bhandar of Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Puri on Tuesday to determine the building’s structural soundness.
The ASI plans to conduct laser scanning of the Ratna Bhandar’s exterior and northern walls. Ratna Bhandar and the main temple are linked by the northern wall. The Ratna Bhandar was built after the 12th-century shrine, and the ASI will scan and document any minute cracks and damage to the walls.
The documentation will be useful in assessing the physical state of the Ratna Bhandar and developing a conservation strategy. According to Ranjan Das, chief administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), the ASI will submit the laser scanning evaluation report to the SJTA for examination by a technical expert team.
Following that, the SJTA will develop a plan for repairing the Ratna Bhandar. The outside treasure will be laser scanned first on November 28, followed by the interior treasury and several Parshwa Debata temples.
It is worth noting that the ASI requested authorization from the SJTA to study and conserve the Ratna Bhandar between 2018 and 2022.
