Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has decided to store 500 kg silver, to be used for silver plating of the Kalahata Dwar of the Lord Jagannath Temple, in the strong room of the Government Treasury here.
The 500 kg silver, which is now stored at the strong room of Niladri Bhakta Nivas in Puri will be shifted to the Government Treasury’s strong room this week for safekeeping, said Temple Administrator (Development) Ajay Jena.
The District Administration has agreed to the proposal of SJTA to store the 11 boxes having 5 quintals of silver in the strong room of the district treasury.
For the first time in the last several decades, the SJTA headed by Dr Krishan Kumar has decided to do silver plating of eight major wooden doors of 12th century Jagannath temple, including the ones guarding the sanctum sanctorum with 2,500 kg of the precious metal donated by a Mumbai-based devotee of the Lord.
The SJTA had tried to complete the work during the Rath Jatra this year, when Lord Jagannath and his siblings were at Sri Gundicha Temple.
Silver plating of Beheran Dwar, Sata Pahacha Dwar, Jay Bijay Dwar, Bhoga Mandap Dwar, Mahalaxmi Dwar, Bimala Dwar, Nrusingha Dwar were completed. However, the Kalahata Dwar which is in front of the Ratna Singhasan (bejewelled throne) has not been taken up during the Rath Jatra period.
Now, the silver plating work of the Kalahata Dwar will be done only during the Rath Jatra next year. Till that period, the 500 kg silver will be stored in the strong room of the treasury for its safety, an official said.