Special herbal oil massage for Trinity in sick room by Sri Jagannath temple's physician

PURI: The Trinity was given a special oil massage by the physician of Sri Jagannath temple on the sixth day of the Anasar period on Tuesday. The deities are being treated with ‘Phuluri tela’, a special herbal oil, which according to the physician would give them strength and cure them from their sickness. Prepared by the Bada Odia mutt, the herbal oil was buried underground a year back. It was retrieved on Monday and blended with several aromatic herbs.

Believed to be suffering from fever after the grand bath, Lord Jagannath and his siblings Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra are in the Anasar Ghara (sick room) for 15 days. On fruit diet, the deities are being provided energy drink while dressed in white clothes and flowers. 

On the day, various fruits like pineapple, mango, ripe jackfruit, guava, banana besides Tulsi and varieties of flowers for deities reached Srimandir from Biswamitra mutt of Kakatpur and Madhabanand of Niali. Trilochan Mishra, who led the procession from Niali Madhabanand mutt, said, “The association between the religious institutions of Prachi Valley with the Srimandir is ancient. This practice was stopped for several years but resumed in 2000.” 

On the other hand, around 200 workers including carpenters, blacksmiths, Roopakaras, Chitrakaras and Bhoi servitors are toiling hard to complete the three chariots under the supervision of the three Biswakarmas (chief carpenters). Biswakarma of Nandighosh rath Bijay Mahapatra said around 85 per cent of the construction work has been completed. “We are ahead of the schedule and all the three chariots would be ready before the annual Rath Yatra on July 12,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Sri Jagannath Temple Administration has started the second phase of RT-PCR test of servitors ahead of the grand event. As per the SOP, servitors have to undergo RT-PCR test four times beginning from Snana Yatra till Niladri Bije. Servitors testing negative for Covid-19 will be allowed to participate in Rath Yatra rituals.

The servitors and police personnel would pull the chariots along the Bada Danda (grand road) to Gundicha temple and repeat the same during Bahuda (return car festival). Like previous year, connectivity to Puri would be sealed for the entire length of Rath Yatra festival,  said Collector Samarth Verma.

‘Resume chariot construction for Baripada Rath Yatra’ 

Servitors and devotees of Lord Jagannath in Baripada have demanded resumption of chariot construction work of the Trinity for the annual Rath Yatra at the Haribaldevjew temple in the district. Led by Rath Mohapatra (head of carpenters) Mrityunjaya Mohapatra and servitor Kameswar Tripathy, a group of devotees met Collector Vineet Bhardwaj on Tuesday and sought permission to carry on the chariot construction work which was stopped two weeks back after a direction from the Endowments department. Mohapatra said construction work of the three chariots was halted 14 days back. Though the State government has not given permission to hold the Rath Yatra at Haribaldevjew temple in Baripada, some rituals must be performed at the chariots during the annual festival and hence, work must resume, he said.