Puri, March 4 The Jagannath temple authorities in Puri announced on Wednesday that the shrine will be closed to devotees for four hours on March 5 for a special ritual called "Banakalagi."
In a public notice, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) said that darshan inside the temple will be suspended from 6 pm to 10 pm.
Banakalagi is a secret and special ritual where the faces of the Trinity – Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Jagannath – are freshly colored.
During the Banakalagi, also known as "Srimukha Sringara", is traditionally performed by a group of priests called the Dutta Mohapatra. Natural colors prepared from herbs and certain materials, including "kasturi" (musk) and "karpura" (camphor), are used to color the faces of the idols, a priest said.
Meanwhile, SJTA Chief Administrator Arabinda Padhee issued show-cause notices to three priests on February 28, following allegations of delays in performing rituals, misconduct towards on-duty officials, and violation of discipline.
The erring priests were asked to respond within seven days. They were also accused of misbehaving with temple officials.
Padhee said that strict action will be taken under the Shree Jagannath Temple Act to ensure that the sanctity and discipline of the shrine are maintained.