Bhubaneswar: Lord Jagannath and His siblings are suffering from fever after having a grand bath on the day of Snana Purnima. Since that time, the temple deities have been administering a variety of herbal medicines to help them recover from the fever. Today the khali or Osa prepared by Sudha suara will be served to cure the deities.
Presently, the deities on the ‘Anasara Pindi’, are being treated with herbal medicines and specially prepared oils, strictly under the guidance of ‘Raj Vaidya’ (the Royal Ayurvedic practitioner). The deities are expected to recover and be fit by July 7 following which they will be taken to the chariots for Rath Yatra.
According to sources, Osa will be brought from the house of the Sudha Suara on the sixth day of Anasara today and will be offered to the deities. This ritual is called Osa lagi ritual because medicinal lotions are being applied to the Trinity for the recovery of the deities.
Following the Madhyanha Dhupa at the Srimandir, the Daitapati servitors come to the temple in the dead of night through the Beharana dwara to execute the Osa Lagi ritual of the deities. It will continue for a few days. It will be applied to the bodies of the Trinity in the dead of the night.
During the deities’ stay at Anasara Gruha, Lord Jagannath and his siblings are offered fruit juices and medicines made of indigenous herbs and roots.
Yesterday, Phuluri Tela was applied to the divine bodies of the deities for their early recuperation. Made of flowers such as Ketaki, Malli, Boula and Champa, roots, sandalwood powder, camphor, rice, grains and sesame oil, the oil is prepared on the fifth day of the annual Rath Yatra festival when Hera Panchami ritual is observed but the oil is applied on the idols during the hibernation in the next year.
Meanwhile, Rupakara Sevayats are busy constructing the three chariots of the presiding deities and are hopeful of finishing the work before time.
