Bhubaneswar, 18 March (H.S.): The Jagannath Temple will remain closed to devotees for four hours on Wednesday evening for the observance of the sacred Banakalagi ritual of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) informed.

According to an official notification issued by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration, the Banakalagi Niti will be performed on the occasion of Chaitra Krushna Chaturdashi Tithi from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Consequently, public darshan will remain temporarily suspended during this period.

The notification stated that the ritual will commence after the completion of the second Bhog Mandap offering, following which entry of devotees into the temple will be restricted.

Banakalagi is a traditional ritual during which fresh natural colours are applied to the idols of the sibling deities. Substances such as Hingula, Haritala, Kasturi, Keshar, and Kaintha gum are used in preparing the sacred ‘Banaka’.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda