Lord Jagannath in Varanasi has fallen “ill” and has been advised “bed rest” for a fortnight. Devotees are thronging the doors of his temple to pray for his “speedy recovery”.
The lord fell “ill” after being given the sacred bath by devotees on Jyestha Purnima day and is now suffering from excessive cold and cough.
His temple in Assi locality in Varanasi has been closed for devotees and his personal physician is “treating” him.
A specially prepared kadha — a concoction of herbs — is offered to the lord twice a day to “cure him”. Before you begin to wonder at this “story”, the “illness” of Lord Jagannath in Varanasi is a part of a special tradition that is followed every year when the lord is “humanised” by his devotees.
As per the tradition, Lord Jagannath and his siblings, Balram and Subhadra, fall ill every year after the sacred bath on the day of the full moon.
The excessive water offered to the lord by his devotees is the cause behind the “illness”. Pandit Sri Ram Sharma, 33, who has been playing divine doctor to Lord Jagannath for several years now, says, “It is a family tradition for us to serve as doctor to the lord and we follow our duty with dedication and sincerity.” Pandit Sharma took over as doctor priest after the demise of his father Sita Ram Sharma in 1995.
For two weeks when the Lord is unwell, he is given a kadha made from cardamom, cloves, black pepper, nutmeg, Gangajal, rose water, tulsi leaves, sandal and brown sugar.
“Every evening after the kadha is given to the ailing god, the leftover is istributed as prasad among devotees,” Pandit Sharma said.
After two weeks, the young priest accompanies the idols of Lord Jagannath, his sister Devi Subhadhra and brother Balbhadra to a garden in the city for an outing.
The holy trinity then leaves for a three-day rath yatra and it is believed that whoever offers prayers to them is granted a fortune.