Puri, Oct 22: The special Kartika rituals at the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri will commence on Thursday, coinciding with Ashwin Shukla Paksha Ekadashi. On this occasion, the sibling deities will appear before devotees in the traditional Radha Damodar Besha, and special offerings will be made to the deities.

According to the temple's daily ritual schedule, the Radha Damodar Besha is scheduled to be completed between 6:30 am and 7:30 am. The special Baladhupa offering will take place between 10 am and 10:30 am. The Kartika rituals will continue at the temple until November 24.

Special attire and offerings for the deities

As part of the Radha Damodar Besha, Lord Balabhadra and Lord Jagannath will wear traditional Trikachha attire, along with golden ornaments known as Suvarnatali on their arms. The deities will also be adorned with various gold ornaments, Baralagi silk garments, floral decorations, Phuta Srikapada and Uttariya.

The Gopal Ballav and Sakala Dhupa rituals will be performed while the deities remain dressed in this special attire.

During the special Baladhupa offering, the deities will be offered fruits such as ripe bananas, apples, and coconuts, along with Lia (puffed rice), Chhatua and other food items.

Special Beshas will also be observed during the Panchuka period. However, the temple administration has stated that the Bankachuda, also known as the Vamana Besha, will not be performed this year due to the absence of a separate Dwadashi tithi.

Srimandir ritual schedule

As per the Kartika ritual schedule, the temple doors are scheduled to open at 4 am, followed by the Mangal Alati at 5 am. The Abakasha ritual will take place at 6:15 am, after which the Radha Damodar Besha will begin.

The Gopal Ballav Bhoga is scheduled for 8 am, while the Sakala Dhupa ritual will be performed between 8:30 am and 9:30 am. The Baladhupa offering will follow.

The Bhoga Mandap ritual is scheduled to conclude at noon, after which devotees can receive Anna Mahaprasad. The Madhyahna Dhupa is scheduled to take place by 1:30 pm, followed by the second Bhoga Mandap ritual, which is expected to conclude by 2:30 pm.

The temple administration has clarified that these timings are indicative and may change depending on the progress of the day's rituals.