Archive · 29 Jul 2026
Puri's Jagannath Temple Closed for Repainting Ritual
The Jagannath Temple in Puri, India, will be closed to the public on the evening of July 29, 2026, for a special ritual called Banakalagi Niti.
During this ritual, the faces of the deities Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra will be repainted using natural and organic pigments.
This ritual is performed to restore the deities' appearance after the annual Rath Yatra festivities.
The temple will be closed from 6 pm to 11 pm, and only a select group of servitors will participate in the ritual.
The materials used include powdered conch shells, Haritala, and Hingula, along with fragrant substances like musk, camphor, and saffron.
The Jagannath Temple in Puri will be closed from 6 pm to 11 pm on July 29, 2026, for the Banakalagi Niti ritual.
The ritual involves repainting the faces of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra using natural and organic pigments.
The materials used include powdered conch shells, Haritala, Hingula, musk, camphor, and saffron.
The ritual is performed to restore the deities' appearance after the annual Rath Yatra festivities.
Only a select group of servitors known as 'Dattamahapatras' will participate in the ritual.
- Who
- Servitors known as 'Dattamahapatras'
- What
- Banakalagi Niti (Srimukha Sringara) ritual
- When
- July 29, 2026, from 6 pm to 11 pm
- Where
- Shree Jagannath Temple, Puri, Odisha
- Why
- To repaint the faces of the deities with natural colours after the Rath Yatra festivities
Traditionalists
Modernists
Use of Natural Pigments
Traditionalists
The use of natural and organic pigments is essential to maintain the authenticity and sanctity of the ritual.
Modernists
Modern, safer alternatives could be considered to reduce health risks associated with traditional materials.
- Date
- July 29, 2026
- Time of Closure
- 6 pm to 11 pm
- Ritual Name
- Banakalagi Niti (Srimukha Sringara)
- Deities Involved
- Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Goddess Subhadra
- Materials Used
- Natural pigments, musk, camphor, saffron, powdered conch shells, Haritala, Hingula
- Duration of Ritual
- 4-5 hours
- Significance
- Repainting the deities' faces to restore their appearance after the Rath Yatra festivities