Puri, April 6 The Shree Jagannath temple here will remain closed to devotees for four hours on Monday evening for a special ritual inside the shrine, the temple administration said in a public notice.
The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) notice stated, "On Monday, April 6, 2026, the 'Paitalagi' ritual will be performed for the holy deities. Therefore, after the second offering at the 'bhog mandap', public darshan will be temporarily suspended from 6 pm to 10 pm.
The 'Paitalagi' is a special ritual performed in the 12th-century shrine by the Daitapati servitors, in which the trinity – Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Jagannath – adorn the sacred thread known as 'Paita'. Special silk threads are tied to the deities during this ritual. The thread for Lord Jagannath is yellow, green for Lord Balabhadra, and red for Subhadra.
The ritual symbolizes divine protection and purity and holds deep spiritual significance as it represents the renewal of divine energy and the safeguarding of the deities.
Meanwhile, the temple administration has prepared for the second phase of the Ratna Bhandar (treasury) inventory in the shrine on April 8, said SJTA chief administrator Arabinda Padhee.
He said that there are no restrictions on the visit of devotees during the inventory. "The inventory will not be held on Sundays and important festival days," he said.
The inventory of the Ratna Bhandar in the 12th-century shrine began on March 25, after a gap of 48 years.