Five-hour closure at Jagannath Temple tomorrow for Banakalagi

Bhubaneswar, Oct 29: The Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, will be closed to devotees for five hours on Wednesday to facilitate the Banakalagi ritual for the deities. According to the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), darshan will not be allowed from 5 PM to 10 PM to accommodate this special ceremony, which takes place after the Bhoga Mandap ritual concludes.

This Wednesday coincides with Kartika Krishna Trayodashi Tithi, a significant date for the Banakalagi Niti, during which the idols receive fresh coats of color. The ritual is carried out by the Dutta Mohapatra and Khadiprasad Daitapati servitors.

During the Banakalagi Niti, also known as Shrimukha Sringara, the deities Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra are adorned with natural colors made from herbs and other materials such as kasturi, harital, karpura, kesar, kalasankha, and dhalasankha.

Devotees will be allowed to resume darshan after 10 PM, once the ritual concludes. This important ritual occurs several times throughout the year.