Puri: Shree Jagannath Temple at Odisha’s Puri town will remain closed for devotees for five hours on the occasion of Ram Navami on March 27.
According to Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), the devotees will not be allowed into the 12th-century shrine from 5 pm to 10 pm on Friday for ‘Sriram Janma Niti’. “Therefore, after the commencement of the Madhyana Bhog offering, public darshan will remain temporarily suspended from 5 pm to 10 pm,” it added.
Jagannath culture researcher Dr Bhaskar Mishra explained that the temple marks Lord Ram’s birth, the seventh avatar of Vishnu, through this unique annual tradition. Lord Jagannath, revered as the “mother” of all Vishnu incarnations, was offered a special ‘Jeuta Bhog’ on Thursday evening. This sacred offering consists of raw mango, Ayurvedic herbs, and rice, prepared to symbolically alleviate labour pains.
“Lord Jagannath virtually gives birth to Lord Ram, for which He is fed the Jeuta Bhog,” Mishra told PTI, highlighting how the ritual portrays the deity in a maternal role during the divine birth process. The practice mirrors similar observances before other avatar births, such as Janmashtami for Lord Krishna, where the bhog serves as a medicinal preparation traditionally given to mothers post-childbirth.
As part of the tradition, the sacred rituals, conducted inside the sanctum sanctorum, are performed exclusively by designated servitors including Puja Panda, Mahajan Sevak, Palia Pratihari, and Maha Suar. The closure ensures the sanctity and secrecy of the proceedings, which include elements akin to childbirth rites.
This tradition reflects the rich syncretic Vaishnava heritage of the Puri temple, where Lord Jagannath embodies a universal divine presence encompassing multiple avatars.
