380 Kg Basunga Pat Sent to Puri Srimandir for Ritual Use

Traditional Basunga Pat Made From Ethical Silk Sent to Puri Srimandir for Lord Jagannath’s Rituals

By OdishaConnect On Jun 23, 2026

A special programme was organised to send Basunga Pat to the administration of Sri Jagannath Temple, Puri. Around 380 kg of Basunga Pat was sent to the temple on Tuesday. Odisha Minister of Cooperation, Handloom, Textiles and Handicrafts Pradip Bal Samant attended the event as the chief guest and inaugurated the dispatch process by waving the flag after performing rituals.

Addressing the media, Minister Pradip Bal Samant said that Basunga Pat is a sacred and special type of silk thread used in important rituals of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra at the Puri Srimandir. It is a traditional silk fabric associated with the Jagannath culture and represents Odisha’s rich heritage of silk and handloom craftsmanship.

Basunga Pat is prepared from natural mulberry silk yarn and is coloured using the extract of the Kaitha fruit. The traditional fabric is considered not only a religious material but also a symbol of devotion, artistic skill and cultural heritage. Its continuous use in the rituals of Lord Jagannath reflects the unique temple culture and craftsmanship of Odisha.

The state government has introduced the Karuna Silk process for producing Basunga Pat. Karuna Silk is an ethical and sustainable alternative to conventional silk, prepared without harming silkworms. Under this method, silkworms are allowed to complete their natural life cycle and emerge from cocoons before the silk is collected, avoiding the traditional process of killing pupae during reeling.

The Odisha Cooperative Tassar and Silk Federation (SERIFED), in association with the Handloom, Textiles and Handicrafts Department, Odisha Government, has been supplying Basunga Pat to the Puri Srimandir administration since 1981.

SERIFED has promoted ‘Karuna Silk’ as a premium ethical silk brand of Odisha. The organisation also manages the ‘Resham Odisha’ brand, which represents authentic silk, sustainable production, handmade excellence, government-assured quality and the cultural identity of the state.

Senior officials of the department and SERIFED were present during the programme, including Commissioner-cum-Secretary Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar and other officials.