A sevayat busy preparing herbal medicines for the Lord. Picture by Sarat Patra

The deities of Puri temple are enjoying their vacation at Gundicha temple to recuperate from the fever that had gripped them for a fortnight before rath yatra. Meanwhile, the preparation of many of the herbal medicines used for the treatment of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra during their hibernation period will begin on the auspicious day of Hera Panchami that falls on Thursday this year.

Since only traditional healing methods are followed for the treatment of the deities, healers use herbs, roots and flowers to prepare the medicine.

A variety of flowers are first collected from private gardens as well as from among the collection of herbal plants in the mathas (monastery).

One of the most important medicines used during the anabasara (hibernation) for the cure of the ailing deities, the phuluri oil, is prepared on Hera Panchami — the fifth day of the rath yatra festival.

Flowers like ketaki, malli, boula, champa, kia; barks and roots like benachara, sesame oil, sandalwood powder, camphor, rice grains and many other ingredients are used in the preparation of the phuluri , which is prepared by the Bada Odiya Matha.

“The phuluri oil is a scented lotion applied on Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra during their illness before rath yatra. The lotion is prepared one year before by making a paste of the ingredients, which is then buried under the soil.

“It remains so until the anabasara next year so that it turns into the required medicine,” said Surya Narayan Rathasharma, an expert on Jagannath culture.

After the holy bath of Debasnana Purnima next year, the phuluri lotion is applied on the fifth day after the deities get fever.

“Preparation of the medicines is done very carefully following the prescriptions written in ancient texts. The lotion is fermented under the soil where beneficial bacteria act on the herbal elements. This medicine is considered very effective for ailments like fever. Hence, it is applied on the lords,” added Rathasharma.