Lord Jagannath and his siblings are in quarantine!
As per religious traditions, Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Lord Subhadra are currently sick, and for this, a special ritual is being followed in the temple situated at Puri, Odisha. It is believed that the Lord and his siblings go through 14 days’ anasara ritual in which they are quarantined till they recover from illness.
How are the deities treated for their illness?
Quoting the servitors of the temple, the deities are given ayurvedic and herbal medicines to recover from the illness. The anasara rituals are performed by selected servitors of the Lords. During the anasara time, the devotees are not allowed to see the Lords.
"Phuluri Tela"
Phuluri tela, a special oil, is used for the treatment. The oil is prepared using jasmine, champa, sandalwood powder, camphor, and other herbal ingredients. This oil is applied to the wooden idols of the deities.
"Dasamula" and "Pana Bhoga"
As part of the ritual, only fruits and water are offered to them, which is much different to the Mahaprasad they are offered on regular days. Dasamula medicines are an important part of the recovery process, and regional media reports quoting the servitors say medicines like Jhuna, Kaintha Atha are important ingredients of the medicines used.
"Kasturi Nabhi"
An interesting part of this treatment is the use of the rare Kasturi Nabhi. Since the idols of the three deities are of wood, necessary care is taken to keep them protected from insects and bugs. For this purpose, Kasturi Nabhi is brought from Nepal. In 2017, Nepal's former President Bidya Devi Bhandari, who held the position till March 13, 2023, had promised to take necessary steps to provide musk to the temple. The idols of the sibling deities are changed only once every 12 years, which marks the Nabakalebara of the deities.
Ratha Yatra
Ratha Yatra or the annual chariot festival of the three deities are held after the 14 days’ quarantine is over. The festival of Ratha Yatra holds immense significance in Hinduism. This year, Ratha Yatra commences Jun 20, 2023 and the Lords will return to the temple on Jun 28, 2023.
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