Jagannath Temple to close for Banakalagi ritual, no darshan from 6 PM to 9 PM
Editor
Bhubaneswar, July 24: The Jagannath Temple in Puri will be closed for three hours on Wednesday to conduct the Banakalagi ritual for Lord Jagannath and his siblings, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra.
During this time, devotees will not be able to see the deities from 6 pm to 9 pm. However, according to the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), devotees will be allowed to have darshan of the Holy Trinity after the ritual concludes at 9 pm.
The Banakalagi Niti, also known as Shrimukha Sringara of Lord Jagannath, is typically performed on Wednesdays or Thursdays.
The ritual involves applying fresh, natural colors to the idols of the deities. Ingredients such as Hingula, Haritala, Kasturi, Keshar, and the glue of Kaintha are used to prepare a Banaka. Traditionally, the Dutta Mohapatra and Khadiprasad Daitapati servitors carry out the ritual.
The Banaka is created using materials like kasturi, harital, karpura, kesar, kalasankha, and dhalasankha. During this time, the temple's sanctum sanctorum, or garbhagruha, remains closed, and no outsiders are permitted inside while the Dattamahapatra servitors perform the ritual.
