Bhubaneswar: Age-old weapons like swords and javelins used in battles of the past were some of the items reportedly discovered in the Ratna Bhandar of Puri Jagannath Temple during the shifting of valuables on Thursday, lending credence to the long-held belief that kings offered significant quantity of gold and other items to the shrine after emerging victorious in wars.
“On July 14, we found some ancient idols in Ratna Bhandar. During shifting of valuables on Thursday, we came across a few swords and javelins near a wooden chest within the inner chamber. The weapons were very heavy and had turned black,” said one of the 11 committee members, who entered Ratna Bhandar.
The Ratna Bhandar, which had been closed for 46 years, was reopened by the state govt on July 14 for its restoration and inventory.
Talking to journalists, Biswanath Rath, chairman of the Ratna Bhandar supervisory committee, said, “We have carefully sealed and preserved the battle items in the temporary strongroom.”
Rath, a retired judge of Orissa high court, however, did not divulge details about the weapons, their numbers or the era to which they belonged to. Discovery of the weapons throw light on the 12th century shrine’s connection to the kings who ruled the region in the past, offering a glimpse into the treasures they may have accumulated over centuries.
Anantavarman Chodaganga Dev of the Eastern Ganga dynasty had built the Puri temple in the 1190s, sources in the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) said. The 214-ft tall temple is spread over 10.7 acres with 95 subsidiary shrines on its premises.
“Jagannath Temple had been invaded and plundered 18 times throughout history. For the invaders, the temple was a lucrative source of wealth. To protect the temple, the then kings may have kept the ancient weapons in Ratna Bhandar,” said Shyama Mahapatra, a servitor of the temple.
Jagannath researcher Bhaskar Mishra said, “King Kapilendra Deb in 1460 had emerged victorious over another ruler and had used 16 elephants to transport a substantial amount of gold to Puri Jagannath Temple.”
Historians and heritage researchers demanded a proper study of the recovered war weapons. They said the govt should rope in eminent archaeologists to study the age during which the weapons were in use. “These are very rare materials bearing historical significance. The weapons should be properly preserved and displayed in a museum,” said Sajiv Mishra, a historian.

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