The face decoration & cleaning rituals called Srimukha Singhar (Banaklagi) Niti of Lord Jagannath.
This Niti celebrated every Wednesday at Srimandir Puri. It starts after the Madhyan Dhupa (Mid-day Puja) of deities.
This earth is full of beautiful creations and full of greenery. The illuminated in divine consciousness from Bhu to Bhuma (Earth to Sky).
If the creature is so beautiful then how lovey the creator who created it. He controls the world by being like a soul within all living things.
So we will know how beautiful that Lord is, like a normal human being, he cleans his face even.
The same principle applies to Banak or Sri Mukha Singhar Niti of Shree Jagannath.
How Srimukha Singhar (Banak) Niti of Lord Jagannath is performed?
The following procedures performed during Srimukha Singhar Niti of Lord Jagannath.
- The faces of the deities decorate with a variety of fragrances.
- So that the Lord will look beautiful as we keep the face beautiful to enhance the beauty of our faces. Be it shaving, we use a variety of fragrances, as we care to look attractive.
- How far thousands of devotees are coming to see the ritual every day, if not a little decorated.
- The Mahaprabhu considered being the epitome of humanism. So Mahaprabhu makes their Srimukha (face) like humans.
- After Madhyan Dhupa in the temple, the Grabha Gruha washed away with water. Then Palia Khuntia then calls the Palia Puspalak Sevak for Milam Niti of Mahaprabhu.
- For this ritual silver bowls (Chandi) provided from the Ratnabhandar. The Changda Mekap provided 3 pieces of Srikapada (Cloth) from the Chakada house.
- Then 03 Palia Puspalak Sevak came to that place and wash their hand with water from the Garabdu Sevak. Then they performed the Milam Niti
Materials used in Srimukha Singhar (Banak) Niti of Lord Jagannath
There are 14 different types of materials used in the decoration of the deities. It prepared in a natural way by the Sevaks and the temple administration.
- Sheels purified and then White Color prepared from it
- The black color prepare through the Rashitel Lamp
- The red color prepare through the grinding of Hingula
- The yellow color prepares through the grinding of Haritala. This is a kind of Ayurvedic Plant.
- Powder of Flower Kaddi
- Hingula-6 Vari
- Haritala Half-Vari
- Conch “1/4 Vari
- Kesar
- Camphor-2 Vari
- Kaitha glue as required
- Kasturi ¼ Vari
- Oil
- Panchamrut for Aarti Mahasana
Sevaks required to performing this ritual
- Palia Khuntia
- Garabadu
- Palia Puspalak (3)
- Changda Mekap
- Dutta Mohapatra (3)
- Muduli
- Pujapanda
Conclusion
Srimukha Singhar (Banak) Niti of Lord Jagannath performs as per our Jagannath Sanskruti.
It is the face decoration and cleaning process celebration like human beings. The Adi Sakti Lord Jagannath daily routine is like a human being.
“JAY JAGANNATH”
Pandit Rashmi Ranjan Rath is a Vedic researcher and also recognized by the Lord Jagannath Temple administration, Puri as a “Shree Jagannath Sanskruti Pracharak” in the year 2013. He has visited four Dhams of India for creating Lord Jagannath consciousness Worldwide. He is also the founder of “Baidika Brahamana Parisada Odisha”.