Public darshan at the Sri Jagannath Temple in Puri will remain closed for around four hours today due to the performance of the traditional Banakalagi ritual of the deities.
According to the temple schedule, devotees will not be allowed to have darshan of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra from approximately 6 pm to 10 pm. The restriction will be imposed after completion of the second Bhogamandap ritual.
The Banakalagi ritual is scheduled to be performed on Wednesday, on the Krishna Chaturthi tithi of the month of Ashwin. The ritual is considered one of the important daily rituals associated with the deities at the Sri Jagannath Temple.
Secret Ritual by Dattamahapatra Servitors
The Banakalagi ritual is a confidential temple ritual performed by Dattamahapatra servitors. As per the temple’s traditional practices, the ritual is conducted after completion of the second Bhogamandap Bhog and the subsequent water purification ritual.
During the Banakalagi, the Dattamahapatra servitors ascend the Ratna Singhasana and adorn the faces of the three deities with traditional natural colours. Since the ritual is performed in secrecy, public darshan remains suspended during the ceremony.
After the servitors complete the ritual and leave the temple, the Mahasnan ritual of the deities will be performed. Other scheduled rituals will then continue, following which public darshan will resume.
Traditional Facial Adornment of the Deities
Banakalagi is a distinctive tradition in the ritual calendar of the Sri Jagannath Temple. During the ceremony, the divine faces of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra are specially decorated using traditional natural colours.
Traditionally, materials such as Hingula, Haritala, black, white and other natural colours are used for the decoration. The Dattamahapatra servitors carefully apply the colours to the faces of the deities and carry out special adornment of their eyes, facial features and other parts.
The ritual gives a distinctive appearance to the deities and holds a special place in the centuries-old traditions and service system of the Sri Jagannath Temple.
Devotees are generally unable to have darshan while the Banakalagi ritual is underway. Darshan resumes after the ritual and the subsequent temple ceremonies are completed.
The Banakalagi tradition continues to reflect the spiritual heritage and distinctive ritual practices associated with Jagannath culture.