Puri, Jun 25: As the world-renowned Rath Yatra draws near, the city is buzzing with spiritual fervor and final preparations. The Lord of the Universe, Lord Jagannath, along with siblings Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra, is now fully recovered after 15 days of seclusion in the Anasara Gruha due to post-Snan Purnima fever.

On Tuesday, Dattamahapatra servitors performed the traditional Banakalagi Niti, a ritual of facial decoration, using sacred pigments like hingula (red), harital (yellow), kasturi (musk), and kesar (saffron).

The ritual will be repeated tonight to complete the rejuvenation process.

And then the sacred Nabajouban Darshan, where Mahaprabhu will appear before devotees in youthful form.

Special arrangements have also been put in place for smooth darshan: ticketed viewing will take place between 8:00 and 9:00 AM, followed by general public access until 10:30 AM.

This ceremonial viewing is not only a spiritual moment but also a cultural crescendo, preceding the majestic Rath Yatra, when the deities are taken out in their grand chariots for a journey to the Gundicha Temple.

All arrangements for smooth darshan—led by district administration, police forces, temple authorities, and servitors have been finalised.

Meanwhile, construction of the three chariots—Nandighosha, Taladhwaja, and Darpadalana—is nearing the completion. Following the Agyanmala Bijay ritual tomorrow, the chariots will be ceremonially moved from the Ratha Khala to the Singhadwara, ready to host the Lords for their grand procession.

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