Lord Recuperates, Available for Darshan

BY: SUN STAFF CORRESPONDENT

Jul 12, 2010 — JAGANNATHA PURI, ORISSA — Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra are hale and hearty now. After undergoing treatment for a fortnight since June 26th, the day the Deities had a grand ceremonial bath during Snan Purnima, the presiding gods were back in the sanctum sanctorum on Sunday giving darshan to pilgrims.

The Deities were out of bounds to pilgrims since they seemingly fell ill on June 26th, but on Sunday They appeared in a rejuvenated look on the occasion of Nabajouvaban darshan.

Makeup men (banakalagi servitors) of the temple were busy today giving a ‘charming look' to the deities. "Makeup was necessary as the sibling Deities appeared before devotees in a rejuvenated manner after undergoing fifteen-day treatment in the temple's sick-room," said Sanjay Kumar Duttamohapatra, a banaklagi servitor.

Herbal products like hartala, hengula, karpura, kasturi and kaintha gum were used for the facial of the Deities. According to sources, nearly nine servitors were engaged in beautifying the faces of the Deities with the mixture of herbal paints.

It took nearly fifteen days to prepare the herbal mixture consisting of four colours--black, white, red and yellow, sources said. The servitors were working on the job for nearly six hours a day. Devotees from several places donate the herbal products every year during Rath Yatra, sources said.

"Just as the human beings prepare their faces for a big occasion, the God also gets braced up for the mega festival," said Duttamohapatra.

According to sources, the painting of the Lord's face is done nearly seven times a year, in addition to the occasion of the car festival. But some twenty years ago, the painting was being done nearly thirty-six times in a year, sources said.

The servitors are seemingly upset that the face make-up of the Deities cannot last for a long time due to the rush around the Deities. "Every year devotees and some priests hug the idols thereby damaging the face makeup of Deities. The temple administration should not allow anyone to touch the faces of the Deities," said another servitor, Bijay Duttamohapatra.

"The temple administration has pledged to protect the Deities' head ornaments (tahias) on the occasion of Rath Yatra and even warned to take criminal action against those who damage the ornaments. Just like that, the shrine authorities should take action against those who bring harm to the faces of the Deities," he added.