Jagannath temple remained closed for four hours for special ritual

The Jagannath Temple remained closed to devotees for four hours on Monday evening to facilitate a significant ritual inside the shrine, according to the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA).

Public darshan was suspended from 6 pm to 10 pm after the completion of the second bhog mandap offering, as the temple conducted Paitalagi Niti , a traditional ceremony involving the adornment of the deities with sacred threads.

The ritual was performed by Daitapati servitors and involved the temple’s presiding deities Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra. During the ceremony, silk threads known as Paita were ceremonially tied to the deities, with distinct colours assigned to each - yellow for Jagannath, green for Balabhadra and red for Subhadra.

Temple authorities said the ritual symbolises divine protection, purity and the renewal of spiritual energy, forming an integral part of the shrine’s long-standing religious traditions. Due to its sanctity and the requirement of strict procedures within the inner sanctum, public access was restricted during its performance.

Meanwhile, the SJTA is preparing for the second phase of the inventory of the temple’s treasury, the Ratna Bhandar, scheduled to begin on April 8. Officials clarified that the exercise will not affect regular darshan and will not be conducted on Sundays or major festival days.

The inventory process, which commenced on March 25 after a gap of 48 years, marks a significant administrative step in documenting the temple’s valuables, officials added.