No evidence of secret tunnel in Ratna Bhandar, says supervisory committee

Amidst ongoing speculation about a hidden tunnel within the inner chamber of Ratna Bhandar (treasury) at the Shree Jagannath Temple, Puri's titular king Gajapati Maharaja Divya Singha Deb said that the ASI could employ modern technology to investigate.

Deb said this on Thursday, 18 July while replying questions on the possible existence of a tunnel or secret chambers inside the inner chamber of the Ratna Bhandar. Many local people believe that there is a secret tunnel inside the inner chamber of temple's treasury.

"The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) could utilise advanced tools like laser scanning to evaluate the condition of the chamber. A survey using such technology could provide insights into any existing structures, such as tunnels," Deb said.

However, Justice Biswnath Rath, chairman of the supervisory committee and former judge of the Orissa High Court, who spent over seven hours inside the inner chamber with ten other members, reported otherwise.

"Based on our inspection, we did not find any evidence of such features like a tunnel," Rath clarified. He urged the media and social media influencers to refrain from spreading misinformation on the subject.

Durga Dasmohapatra, another committee member and servitor, said, "We did not seen any secret chambers or tunnels inside the Lord's treasury. The Ratna Bhandar measures approximately 20 feet high and 14 feet long."

He noted some minor issues observed during their inspection. "Several small stones fell from the roof, and there was a crack in the wall of the Ratna Bhandar. Fortunately, the floor was not damp as feared."