Lords’ recovery from illness: Medicinal oil applied on bodies in Odisha

Puri: The servitors of Lord Jagannath applied Phuluri Tela (medicinal oil) on shree anga (bodies) of ailing deities in Anasara house of Sri Mandir here on Tuesday.

The herbal oil was brought in a procession from Bada Odia mutt for treating the deities inside Anasara house.

As part of secret rituals during period of Anasara after the deities had divine shower on Snana Purnima on pandal inside the campus of Jagannath temple, the Chaturdha Murti (Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Goddess Subhadra and Lord Sudharshan) are undergoing treatment on the pedestal of Anasara house as per the rules written in scriptures.

It is belived that the Lord Jagannath falls sick (fever) after having holy bath on Snana Purnima. The lord along with his siblings used to stay inside the Anasara house where the Daita servitors serve them as per the secret rituals. After applying the herbal oil on entire bodies of the deities, the lords will recover from illness slowly.

As per the rituals, the successors of Biswabasu and Bidyapati (major servitors) are entitled to massage herbal oil on the bodies of lords after removing the wet clothes the deities had worn during holy shower.

The Phuluri Tela is provided by Bada Odia mutt. The compositions of the oil are — pure sesame oil, roots of Bena, different fragrant flowers like Jasmine, Jui, Malli. The sesame oil mixed with all the above ingredients is kept in an earthen pot. The pot is sealed with clay and kept in underground since Hera Panchami to Anasara period every year. During Anasara rituals, the Phuluri oil is sent to the temple for treatment of lords, who fall ill for 14 days after having holy bath on Snana Purnima.

The devotees will get the Naba Jaubana Besha darshan of Lord Jagannath on Ratna Singhasan (Jewelled Throne) after the deities get recovered from illness. Later, the deities will come out of temple to visit Gundicha temple during nine-day Ratha Jatra (car festival).