Bhubaneswar, Oct 29: Public darshan at the Jagannath Temple in Puri will be restricted for five hours tomorrow due to the Banakalagi ritual of Lord Jagannath and His siblings, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) announced.

Devotees will not be allowed to view the deities from 5 PM to 10 PM, but darshan will resume after 10 PM once the ritual concludes. The Banakalagi, meaning the "facial painting" ritual, is a significant part of temple traditions where fresh natural colors are applied to the idols to enhance their divine appearance.

Wednesday coincides with Kartika Krishna Trayodashi Tithi, a day considered auspicious for this ritual. The idols are painted using natural pigments like Hingula (red), Haritala (yellow), Kasturi (musk), Keshar (saffron), and Kaintha glue.

The Dutta Mohapatra servitors and Khadiprasad Daitapati servitors are responsible for performing this sacred task, ensuring the continuity of age-old traditions associated with the Jagannath Temple.

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