The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has announced that the entry of devotees into the Puri Jagannath Temple will be restricted today, March 5, from 5 PM to 10 PM. The darshan of the deities will remain closed during this period due to the scheduled Banakalagi ritual.
The Banakalagi ritual, a highly sacred and secret ceremony, involves adorning Mahaprabhu Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra with a special makeover on the ‘Ratnabedi.’ The Dutta Mohapatra servitors perform traditional ‘shringar’ (beautification) rituals, applying organic colors derived from rare forest materials.
The ritual will commence after the completion of ‘Bhoga’ at the Second Bhoga Mandap. Due to the confidential nature of the ceremony, entry for devotees and darshan will not be permitted during this time.
The SJTA has also halted the ongoing repair work of the Ratna Bhandar (temple treasury) on March 5 and 6 to accommodate the Banakalagi rituals.
