Bhubaneswar: The Jagannath Temple in Puri will remain closed for five hours tomorrow to facilitate the sacred ‘Paita Lagi’ ritual of the Holy Trinity, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) announced on Sunday.
Devotees will not be allowed inside the temple between 5 pm and 10 pm, during which the ritual will be performed. Tomorrow coincides with Margasira Krushna Trayodashi Tithi, and the ‘Paita Lagi’ ceremony will be conducted following the Second Bhog Mandap offering. As a result, public darshan will remain temporarily suspended during this period.
During the ritual, large quantities of rice, dal, assorted vegetable curries, and various cakes are offered to the deities in the Bhoga Mandap Griha. This bhoga is later made available to devotees, as it is prepared by Suaras on a commercial basis.
In the ‘Paita Lagi’ Niti, the servitors cover the bodies of the deities with a special silk cloth called ‘Basunga Patta’, which is then rubbed with sandalwood paste. This sacred and secret ritual is performed by Daitapati servitors.
Devotees are requested to plan their visit accordingly and cooperate with temple authorities during the temporary closure.
