Banakalagi Niti at Puri Srimandir today; All you need to know about divine makeover ahead of Rath Yatra

With just a day left for the world-famous Rath Yatra, the sacred Banakalagi Niti of Lord Jagannath and His Siblings is set to be performed at Puri Srimandir on Wednesday.  

This ancient ritual, performed behind closed doors by specially designated servitors, marks the final phase of preparations before the deities reappear in their rejuvenated, youthful form for Nabajouban Darshan  on Thursday.

What Is Banakalagi Niti

Banakalagi is the traditional facial makeover ritual during which the deities’ faces are repainted using natural and herbal substances. 

Performed by the Dutta Mohapatra servitors, the ritual involves meticulous application of herbal pigments such as Hingula (red), Haritala (yellow), Kasturi (musk), Keshar (saffron) and Kaitha glue to redefine the Lords’ eyes, eyebrows, lips, and facial features.

The procedure is carried out as per instructions from the sacred Banaka Pothi, an age-old palm-leaf manuscript preserved by the families of servitors. The highlight of the ritual is the painting of the eyes — the final act that symbolizes the deities regaining their divine vision and preparing to bless the devotees.

This secretive and spiritually intense ceremony is held after the 14-day Anasara period, during which the Lords are believed to suffer from fever post the Snana Yatra and are kept in isolation for healing. The completion of Banakalagi paves the way for the Netrotsav and Nabajouban Darshan, when lakhs of devotees will get the first glimpse of the deities in their rejuvenated form, setting the divine stage for the upcoming Rath Yatra.