Puri:Sri Jagannath temple Physician today applied "Phuluri tela" a special herbal oil on the body of the presiding deities who have fallen sick after having a grand holy bath on Snana Purnima day.
The herbal oil was prepared by the Bada Odia mutt and buried under the mutt soil a year ago. It was retrieved on Monday and it was given final finish by blending with several aromatic herbs.
The deities would be treated with the oil which according to physicians give them strength and cure them from the sickness.
The deities were being kept on fruit and energy drink while dressed in white clothes and white flowers.
Today a load of various fruits like pineapple, mango, ripe jackfruit, guava, banana, Tulsi and flowers for deities have reached Sri Mandir from Biswamitra mutt of Kakatpur and Madhabanand mutt of Niali.
Trilochan Mishra who led the procession from Niali Madhabanand mutt said religious bonding between the Mutts and religious institutions of Prachi valley with Srimandir is very old.
This practice was stopped for years but resumed in 2000 AD.
On the other side, about two hundred workers including carpenters, Black smiths, roopakaras, Chitrakaras and Bhoi servitors are engaged in the construction of three chariots in the construction yard under the leadership of Three Vishwakarmas(chief carpenters).
Bijay Mahapatra, the Biswakarma of Nandighos Rath said about 85 percent of construction work has been completed till Tuesday.
“We are ahead of our given schedule and all three chariots would be ready for July 12 Rath Yatra “,he said.
The temple administration has started the second phase of RT PCR test of servitors to be involved in Pahandi and other rituals of the deities.
As per the SOP, the servitors have to undergo RT-PCR test four times beginning from Snan Yatra till Niladri Bije the concluding day of the festival.
Servitors tested negative for Covid-19 will be only allowed to participate in the fete.
As per the decision of the temple body and the state government,the servitors and police would pull the chariots along the Badadanda to its destination Gundicha temple and repeat it in Bahuda(return car festival).
Like the previous year, all the entry points and railway connectivity to Puri would be sealed for the entire length of the Rath Yatra festival,District Collector Samarth Verma said.(UNI)