Bhubaneswar: Acting as per established traditions, Daitapati servitors of Puri Srimandir Wednesday began the annual ‘phuluri tela’ treatment ritual of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra to cure them of fever that they are believed to have caught after ‘Snana Yatra’.
The ritual is performed at ‘Anasara gruha’ in the temple premises. The Snana Yatra (bathing ritual) was held sans devotees this year June 5.
According to temple traditions, it is believed that the Gods catch a fever after undergoing Snana Yatra. To give faster relief to the deities from fever, the saints of Bada Odia mutt provide six shera (a traditional measurement of liquid) phuluri tell (oil) to Puri temple which is used to treat the Lords.
According to Bada Odia mutt seer Bansidhar Das, the treatment of the deities is always done with herbal medicines during the entire fortnight of ‘ansara’ (hibernation) every year before Rath Yatra. Phuluri tela is one of the important medicines used in the process of healing the gods during the hibernation of the ailing deities.
The preparation of oil begins from ‘Hera Panchami’ — the fifth day of the Rath Yatra festival. After preparing the oil, the servitors put the oil in an earthen pot and cover it tightly with an earthen cover. They then keep the oil under the earth for nearly a year for it to be applied on the idols during the hibernation next year.
A wide range of natural elements, mainly 14 types of flowers such as ketaki, malli, boula, champa, kia, seven types of barks and roots and fragrances such as bena chera, sesame oil, sandalwood powder, camphor, rice grains and many other ingredients are used to make the oil, which is prepared by the Puri based mutt.
Just a day before Snana Yatra, also known as ‘Deva Snana Purnima’, the saints of Bada Odia mutt dig out the earthen pot filled with phuluri oil. During the fifth day of Ansara, the Daitapati servitors take the oil from Bada Odia mutt and apply the oil on the deities.
“We use only traditional healing methods and hence all medicines and lotions to heal Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra use herbs, roots and flowers in the preparation. We collect the necessary flowers from private gardens as well as from the collection of herbal plants in the mutts in the city. People gladly help us,” added Das of Bada Odia mutt.
Apart from the phuluri oil, other medicinal lotions will also be applied on the deities Thursday onwards for early recovery of the deities. This ritual is termed ‘Osa lagi’. The deities are believed to recover following the Osa lagi ritual after which they set out on Rath Yatra.
This year, Rath Yatra will be held June 23 sans devotees, if the state government allows.
PNN