Puri Jagannath Temple Closed for Four Hours on March 5 for Banakalagi Ritual

The Jagannath temple in Puri will be closed to devotees for four hours on March 5, from 6 pm to 10 pm, for the Banakalagi ritual. This secret ceremony involves recoloring the faces of the deities Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Jagannath using natural herbal colors. Additionally, the temple administration has issued show-cause notices to three servitors over alleged ritual delays and misconduct, with disciplinary action pending.