Puri, July 20: The traditional Hera Panchami ritual will be observed at the Gundicha Temple on Monday, marking Goddess Mahalakshmi’s symbolic expression of displeasure after Lord Jagannath left for the Rath Yatra with his siblings, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, without her.

According to tradition, Goddess Lakshmi will arrive at the Gundicha Temple in an expression of anger and perform rituals associated with her resentment. As part of the ceremony, she will symbolically damage the Nandighosha chariot of Lord Jagannath before entering the Jagamohan of the Gundicha Temple, where the Agnya Mala ritual will be performed. Later, she will return to the Srimandir through Hera Gouri Sahi.

The Sri Jagannath Temple Administration has prepared the schedule for the Hera Panchami rituals. As per the tentative timings, Goddess Mahalakshmi will arrive at the Gundicha Temple premises around 9:30 pm and complete the rituals near the chariot before proceeding to the Jagamohan.

Meanwhile, several important rituals of Lord Jagannath and his siblings were performed at the Gundicha Temple on Sunday. The Adharapochha Niti (lip-cleaning ritual) was conducted in the morning, followed by the Banakalagi Niti (facial adornment ritual) at night.

During the Adharapochha Niti, Dutta Mahapatra servitors entered the sanctum with camphor water in a silver vessel and performed the ritual first for Lord Balabhadra, followed by Lord Jagannath and Goddess Subhadra. The ritual symbolises the cleaning of the deities’ lips after their journey and is considered a part of the human-like divine traditions of Lord Jagannath.

Later, after the second Bhog Mandap ritual, the Banakalagi Niti was performed by the servitors. Various traditional materials, including Hingula, Haritala, conch powder, saffron, camphor, Kaitha gum, musk, and black colour, were used for the decoration of the deities.

The Banakalagi ritual at the Gundicha Temple is considered a special and elaborate ceremony, as the deities undergo extensive facial decoration after their stay and journey during the Rath Yatra period.