Puri, Jul 16: The Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri will remain out of bounds for devotees on Thursday from 6:30 PM for the sacred Banakalagi Niti.

According to the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), no visitors will be allowed for the darshan of the deities from 6.30 pm to 11 pm.

Notably, the sacred Banakalagi Niti is performed in secret and involves the ceremonial repainting of the deities, and is also considered to be a vital tradition aimed at maintaining the sanctity of the idols.

The Banakalagi, meaning “applying fresh colors,” is carried out by designated servitors using natural colours like hingula (red), haritala (yellow), kasturi (black), and sankha (white).

This ritual is considered essential for maintaining the spiritual and physical sanctity of the idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra.

During the closure, devotees may still offer prayers to side deities in other parts of the temple complex, but access to the main sanctum will be restricted.

read more Odisha News