Puri, April 9: The Jagannath Temple in Puri will observe a temporary closure of four hours on Wednesday for the Banakalagi ritual dedicated to Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra.

During this period, from 6 pm to 10 pm, devotees will not have access to the Trinity's darshan. However, following the conclusion of the ritual at 10 pm, devotees will be permitted to have darshan of the Holy Trinity.

The Banakalagi Niti, also known as Shrimukha Sringara, is a sacred ritual typically performed on Wednesdays or Thursdays. It involves applying fresh colors to the idols of the deities. Natural colors such as Hingula, Haritala, Kasturi, Keshar, and glue derived from Kaintha are utilized to create a Banaka.

Traditionally, the Dutta Mohapatra and Khadiprasad Daitapati servitors oversee the rituals, including the preparation of Banaka, which involves ingredients like 'kasturi', 'harital', 'karpura', 'kesar', 'kalasankha', and 'dhalasankha'. The sanctum sanctorum of the temple remains closed to outsiders during this time, ensuring the solemnity of the ritual conducted by the Dattamahapatra servitors.

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