The ailing divine trinity of the Shree Jagannath temple in Puri is being treated with traditional medicines following which they are slowly recuperating.

The deities are suffering from high fever following a bath on the Deva Snana Purnima on June 14. Following the fever, Lord Jagannath and Balabhadra along with sister Subhadra have been shifted to a secret place called Anasara ghar (secret chamber) inside the temple. They are in hibernation and remain out of bounds of devotees.

The treatment will go on till June 28. The ancestral vaidyas are continuing the treatment with absolute devotion. After recovering from the fever, the deities will give darshan to devotees on June 29 with new fervour called Naba Jauban Darshan.

On July 1, the nine-day sojourn called Rath Yatra will begin in which the deities come out from the temple to mingle with the devotees.

“We the servitors are performing various services to bring back the health of the lords. The daily worship rituals take a different form during this hibernation,” said servitor Ramakrishna Das Mohapatra.

He said: “Different herbal pastes are applied on the deities throughout the day as prescribed by the vaidyas. The servitors also offer the special medicinal dishes prepared by the healers. An oil massage with a specially prepared lotion, the phuluri tela, is also being applied. This lotion is prepared almost a year before during Rath Yatra for the next year.”

“Every year, it is prepared at the Bada Odia Matha in Puri. The healers at the monastery are assigned with the duty of preparing this special lotion,” another servitor said.

“It is an essential treatment for viral infections and it applies for the deities and for anyone with fever. These methods were taught to us by our forefathers who learnt it from their forefathers,” said one of the official of the Bada Odia Matha.

A series of other medicinal lotions are now being applied on the lords for their quick recovery. Apart from medicines, the lords are offered milk-based products as food.

“We are emotionally attached to Lord Jagannath. During the treatment that goes almost for a fortnight, we offer milk, cheese and such other products. The offerings are then formed into a traditional Odia beverage, the pana, which is distributed among visiting devotees. It is extremely popular among the devotees,” said another senior servitor Jagannath Swain Mohapatra.