Puri: Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri will remain closed for devotees for four hours on Thursday due to the Banakalagi ritual of the Holy Trinity.
The Shree Jagannatha Temple Administration (SJTA), Puri, said that the Banakalagi ritual will be performed by Dutta Mohapatra servitors between 5.00 pm and 9.00 pm on Thursday, during which devotees will not be allowed inside the 12th-century shrine for darshan of Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Balabhadra.
It is worth mentioning here that the Banakalagi ritual is a secret ritual of the deities. It is also known as ‘Srimukha Sringara’, during which the servitors apply fresh colours on the idols of the deities to restore their original look.
The ‘Banaka’ is prepared from different types of natural colours like Hingula, Haritala, Kasturi, Keshar, and the glue of Kaintha.
