The temple also possesses gold, diamond and other valuable ornaments, which are stored inside its heavily secured Ratna Bhandar, or treasure chamber.
Share Article
https://www.india.com/news/india/jagannath-temple-massive-wealth-revealed-rs-1811-cr-in-fixed-deposits-60821-acres-of-land-huge-possession-of-gold-and-diamonds-in-ratna-bhandar-sjta-8515883/
Jagannath temple massive wealth revealed: Rs 1811 cr in fixed deposits, 60821 acres of land, huge possession of gold and diamonds in Ratna Bhandar (Image: PTI/File)
The Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri has bank deposits worth nearly Rs 1,912 crore and owns more than 60,800 acres of land across India, according to details released by the temple administrationThe Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) said the temple had Rs 1,811.10 crore in fixed deposits as of August 31.
Around Rs 1,311.10 crore of this amount was kept with different public sector banksAnother Rs 500 crore is a corpus fund provided by the Odisha government, which is maintained through the temple’s profit and loss accountApart from the fixed deposits, the temple had Rs 100.71 crore in savings, current and flexi accountsThis puts the temple’s total bank deposits at approximately Rs 1,911.80 crore.
Read more:
Hema Malini’s Puri Jagannath Temple visit sparks row, local outfit files complaint, calls it…
Where does Jagannath temple get its income?
According to the temple administration, its income comes from several sourcesThese include donations from devotees, revenue from temple-owned quarries and mines, interest earned from fixed deposits, land-related transactions and government grants.
SJTA chief administrator Arabinda Padhee said a portion of the temple’s earnings is placed in fixed deposits as a Corpus Fund and Foundation FundThe remaining money is maintained as part of the temple fund.
The temple uses this fund to meet its day-to-day expensesAny money left after meeting regular costs is deposited in fixed deposits, Padhee said as per PTI news agency.
He added that protecting and properly managing the temple’s assets is one of the administration’s key responsibilities.
Daily hundi collections made public
The temple administration said donations deposited in the Hundi are counted every dayDetails of the collections are displayed on information boards and also shared through social media.
The temple has also introduced a digital donation facility called ‘Samarpan’The platform was launched shortly before this year’s Rath Yatra on July 15, allowing devotees living in India and abroad to make donations online and receive receipts.
As of August 31, the digital donation platform had received Rs 56.71 lakh from devotees.
Temple owns over 60,000 acres of land
The Jagannath Temple is also a major landholderAccording to the SJTA, it owns 60,821 acres of land across the country.
Of this, 60,426 acres are located across 24 districts of OdishaThe remaining 395 acres are spread across six other states, including West BengalThe administration continues to manage these properties as part of the temple’s overall assets.
Gold and diamonds kept in Ratna Bhandar
The temple also possesses gold, diamond and other valuable ornaments, which are stored inside its heavily secured Ratna Bhandar, or treasure chamber.
Officials said an inventory of the valuables is currently underwayThe exercise is being carried out after a gap of 48 years.
The valuables inside the Ratna Bhandar are being kept under strict security while the inventory process is conducted.
Past theft cases at temple
Despite the security arrangements, police said at least seven cases involving the alleged theft of cash, ornaments and idols have been reported at the temple over the past 25 years.
In February 2024, a temple clerk was allegedly caught on CCTV taking Rs 31,940 while donation money was being countedIn another case, a temple employee was arrested a year earlier for allegedly stealing Rs 800 during the counting of donations.
Who governs the Jagannath temple?
The 12th-century Jagannath Temple is administered under the Odisha government’s Law Department.
Its management is governed by the Shri Jagannath Temple Act, 1955, under which the state government oversees the administration of the historic shrine.
(With PTI inputs)
