Healing Jagannath & Siblings

Healing Jagannath & Siblings: Phuluri Tela Seba & 75% Chariot Work Complete Today 

Puri: Treatment of sibling deities is underway at Anasara Ghar (an asylum for the sick) at Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Puri, The triad fell ill after the elaborate bath with 108 pitchers of herbal and aromatic water on June 24.

As a part of the treatment, Phuluri Tela (Oil) will be applied to the whole body of the idols by Daitapati Sevayats (servitors) after Madhyana (midday) Dhupa on Tuesday.

The special Phuluri Tela Seva is a unique healing method to cure the deities effectively.

Bada Odia Mutt, which is the Adi Pitha of Atibadi Jagannath Das, supplies Phuluri Tela for the deities. The oil is made using flowers such as Ketaki, Malli, Boula, and Champa, roots, sandalwood powder, camphor, rice, and grains. The main ingredient is Sesame oil.

This special oil is prepared on Hera Panchami — the fifth day of the rath yatra festival — to be applied on the idols during the following year’s hibernation.

“Phuluri Tela is applied to the Lords on Ashtami, the fifth day of the Anasara period, as they continue to suffer from fever. This oil protects the idols from moths and insects. All rituals are being held in time,” said senior Daitapati Binayak Dasmohapatra.

During these fifteen days, the Lords are offered fruit juices and medicines made of indigenous herbs and roots. Other medicinal lotions are also being applied for the recovery of the deities under the Osa lagi ritual. The sevayats renovate and repaint the deities with natural paints that need about 15 days to dry.

The deities are expected to recover and be fit by July 11 following which they will be taken to the chariots for Rath Yatra.

Meanwhile, Rupakara Sevayats are busy constructing the three chariots of the presiding deities and are hopeful of finishing the work before time.

“We are doing Rishi Patta work now. The Rishis (sage) are the saviours of the chariot.  We hope the chariot work will be finished before time. As many as 30 Chitrakara Sevayats have been engaged in the painting work,” said a sevayat.

Puri Collector Samarth Verma said that all rituals after Snana Purnima and work for Rath Yatra are going on smoothly and 75 percent of chariot work has been completed. “Servitors are being administered the second dose of vaccine and we have set a target to complete the vaccination process before Rath Yatra. They will also undergo RTP-PCR tests and take part in the rituals only if the report is negative. A list of sevayats has been prepared for it. All guidelines issued by the SRC officer are being followed,” he said.

The servitors, who will be engaged in various rituals of the sibling deities during Rath Yatra, will undergo multiple rounds of the COVID-19 test.

According to Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), the testing will be done at four stages – before Snana Yatra, before Gundicha Yatra, before Bahuda Yatra, and 15 days after Niladri Bije.

In view of the COVID pandemic, the annual sojourn of the sibling deities will be held only on the Grand Road of Puri without devotees on July 12.