Puri: Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Puri town will remain closed for devotees till 2 pm on Tuesday for a special ritual.
This was announced by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) on Monday. The decision comes in view of the ‘Pahuda’ ritual following the ‘Ratra Alati’ on Monday night.
Public darshan will remain suspended as the ‘Senapata’ ritual of the deities is scheduled to take place on the occasion of ‘Jyeshtha Shukla Chaturdashi Tithi.’
The Senapata ritual is significant ahead of the Snana Yatra and Ratha Yatra festivals in the pilgrim town. During this sacred ceremony, the deities are adorned with ‘Senapata Bastra,’ a special type of body armour crafted from Baula wood.
As per tradition, this ritual is performed by Daitapati servitors, who are considered the descendants of the original tribal worshippers of Lord Jagannath. The Senapata Bastra is believed to serve as a divine shield for the deities and marks an important part of the ceremonial preparations for the annual car festival of Lord Jagannath and siblings.
