Puri: Public darshan to remain suspended for 5 hours for Banakalagi ritual of Lord Jagannath tomorrow

The sacred 'Banakalagi' ritual of the Holy Trinity at Gundicha Temple in Puri is scheduled to be performed on Monday. As per the tradition, the ritual will conclude after the second 'Bhog Mandap'.

Due to the observance of this significant ritual, public darshan will remain suspended for approximately five hours. The general public will not be allowed entry into the sanctum between 9 PM to 2 AM.

The temple administration has requested all the devotees and the visitors to cooperate during this sacred period and plan their visit accordingly. 

What is Banakalagi ritual?

Banakalagi Niti, also known as Shrimukha Sringara, is a traditional facial makeover ritual performed on the deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra. This ritual involves repainting the deities' faces with natural and herbal pigments to refresh their divine appearances. It's a sacred ceremony conducted by the Dutta Mohapatra servitors, following instructions from the ancient Banaka Pothi. The ritual culminates with the painting of the eyes, symbolizing the deities regaining their divine vision.

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Banaka Lagi derives its name from ‘Bana’ meaning forest and ‘Lagi’ meaning apply. According to culture experts, certain rare forest products are used to prepare the four types of colours- haritala (red), hengula (yellow), sankha (white) and black and these are then applied to the faces of the deities.