Bhubaneswar, July 16: The Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri will remain closed to devotees for five hours on Thursday due to the sacred Banakalagi ritual performed on the sibling deities—Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra.

As per the notification issued by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), darshan will be suspended from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM to allow for the smooth observance of this important tradition.

Banakalagi, also known as Shrimukha Sringara, is a significant ritual in which fresh natural colours are applied to the idols to give them a renewed and divine appearance. The ritual is performed either on a Wednesday or Thursday, depending on the almanac and temple schedule.

The colours used—prepared using traditional ingredients like kasturi (musk), harital (yellow pigment), karpura (camphor), kesar (saffron), kalasankha, and dhalasankha—are carefully applied by the temple’s designated servitors, including the Dutta Mohapatra and Khadiprasad Daitapati servitor groups.

During this time, the Bhog Mandap will close after the second bhog offering, and the garbhagruha (sanctum sanctorum) will be completely sealed off from public entry. Devotees are advised to plan their visit accordingly.

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