The waterlogged road leading to Gundicha temple and (above) devotees gather for darshan of the deities at the adapa mandap of the temple in Puri. Pictures by Sarat Patra

The Holy Trinity enjoying their sojourn at the Gundicha temple in Puri were given a special session of make-up on Wednesday evening, during the banaka lagi seva.

The tiring rath yatra and the rituals of pahandi or escorting deities to adapa mandap had left the idols looking dull. Hence, there is a tradition of applying paints and make-up on one of the days after the deities are carried inside the Gundicha temple.

“The banaka lagi or applying fresh colours on the idols is conducted about seven to eight times in a year. It is done after the rath yatra day and preferably before hera panchami ceremony hosted on the fifth day of the festival,” said Ramachandra Das Mohapatra, one of the senior daitapatis of the Jagannath temple.

In this make-up session that beautifies the deities, special servitors of the temple on a hereditary basis are assigned the duty.

The servitors use various organic colours. “This is a secret service and no one except a small group of servitors are allowed to be present. It takes about five to six hours and the banaka lagi servitors use traditional colours such as haritala (red), hengula (yellow), sankha (white) and black that is prepared out of ashes after burning a typical fabric,” said Das Mohapatra. Preparing the colours takes about two weeks for the servitors, he said.

While incessant rain did not deter spirits of devotees, who have gathered from all over the country in large numbers to see the deities during the nine-day long rath yatra festival, the ritual, however, cut short their visit to the adapa mandap.

They were not allowed to see the deities after 6pm as the banaka lagi commenced soon after. Since the devotees were informed about the service in the morning, lakhs ensured that rain and the pools of water outside the temple do not prevent them from getting a glimpse of the three divine siblings.

“We have come from New Delhi to get the blessings of Lord Jagannath and his siblings at the adapa mandap. But since we would not be allowed in the evening owing to special services to the deities, we paid a visit by noon. It was a little uncomfortable with the rain water accumulated outside the temple, but we are happy to have seen the deities,” said Garima Ahuja, a devotee.

Devotees can again have a darshan of the deities early in the morning tomorrow. The special ritual of rath yatra festival — hera panchami —will be conducted on Thursday.