Pilgrims arriving in the coastal pilgrim hub of Puri have been notified about temporary entry curbs at the celebrated shrine of Jagannath. On Wednesday, September 30, marking the Ashwin Krishna Chaturthi tithi, public access to the sanctum will be paused for a span of four hours to facilitate the customary secret embellishment rituals of the presiding deities. General visitors will not be permitted to view the deities between 6 PM and 10 PM. The shrine authorities have urged all devotees to organize their arrival schedules around this window to prevent unnecessary congestion and waiting outside the barricades.
Four-Hour Closure Window in the Evening
According to updates released by the temple management committee, the sacred ceremonies will be initiated as soon as the secondary offering sequence, known as Bhoga Mandap Bhoga, is officially completed. Throughout this ritual window, the inner sanctuary gates remain shut to outsiders, barring all devotees from darshan. Individuals intending to visit the grand shrine on September 30 must remain particularly mindful of the evening hours. Public darshan stands suspended from 6 PM until 10 PM, after which the sanctum doors will reopen following established liturgical protocols once all rites wrap up.
Significance of the Ancient Banakalagi Ritual
Known traditionally as Srimukha Sringara, the Banakalagi ritual represents one of the most critical preservation traditions at the seaside shrine. It involves the careful facial retouching of the wooden deities, Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, along with Lord Sudarshana, while they reside on the Ratna Singhasana. Purely organic and natural coloring compounds are utilized to reapply facial features and restore the sacred countenances. Because this sacred task demands undivided sanctity and confidentiality, it is conducted entirely away from the gaze of the general public.
Traditional Duties of Datta Mahapatra Servitors
The specialized duty of administering this delicate facial restoration is entrusted hereditarily to the Datta Mahapatra servitors in strict adherence to age-old shrine customs. Concluding the intricate decorative procedures typically takes between four and five hours. So long as the secret service proceeds inside the sanctum, all adjacent doorways are secured, precluding any public viewing. Temple administrators have advised pilgrims to coordinate their schedules keeping the Banakalagi hours in mind, so they can comfortably plan their prayers once the regular darshan resumes after the completion of the rites.
