Bhubaneswar, 12 August (H.S.): Public darshan at the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri will remain suspended for nearly four hours on Thursday evening due to the observance of the sacred Banakalagi Niti ritual of the sibling deities, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) informed on Wednesday.

The ritual will be performed on Shrabana Shukla Pratipada Tithi, which falls on Thursday, August 13, 2026. As per the temple administration’s schedule, public darshan will be temporarily suspended from around 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM, following the completion of the second Bhoga Mandapa offering.

The SJTA, in its notification, stated that the Banakalagi Niti would be performed after the second Bhoga Mandapa Bhog. During this period, devotees will not be permitted to have darshan of the deities.

Banakalagi Niti is a confidential and significant ritual traditionally performed by the Datta Mahapatra servitors at the Ratna Bedi, the sacred altar of the temple.

As part of the ritual, the holy faces (Shrimukha) of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Goddess Subhadra and Lord Sudarshan are ceremonially adorned with natural colours and fragrant substances.

The temporary suspension of darshan is part of the temple’s established ritual schedule and is observed to ensure the Banakalagi Niti is conducted according to traditional practices.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda