Phooluri or Phuluri Seva or care is a
special ritual practiced in the Jagannath Temple of Odissa. This is done after
the Snana Yatra episode during which the deities are brought out for bath only
once in a year. After the deities are bathed with lots of water they fall sick and
retire in the rest room. This period is known as the Anbasara period. During
this time no one is allowed inside the room other than the sevaits of the
deities. The ailing deities Lord Jagannath, Balavadra, Subhadra and Sudarshan are
confined inside the Anbasara Ghara. They suffer from fever during this period.
The Daitapatis are the only people
allowed inside the room during this period. They are the ones who serve the
lords and are allowed to stay close to the gods. They practice the ritual Phooluri
seva which is done each year during the fever period of the gods. This ritual
was first introduced by Atibadi Jagannath Das who was the autor of Srimad
Bhagabat. He was a contemporary of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. This ritual holds
lot of significance among the followers and devotees.
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| Lord Shree Jagannath, Balabhadra, Maa Shubhadra |
Phooluri seva or care cannot be
provided without sesame oil. This oil is provided by Odiya Math which was
established by Jagannath Dash. The ingredients of Phooluri oil include 4kgs of pure
sesame oil, Bena roots, fragrant flowers like Jai, Malli and Jui. The oil
smells beautiful and the mixture is left in an earthen pot. The pot is sealed with
earthen clay and stored underground since Hera Panchami to Anabasara. A saint
of Odiya Math is sent to fetch the pot from underground and the Daitapatis apply
the oil on the body of the deities. There are approximately 165 Daitapatis in
service of the Lord and his family. The ritual is a significant one.
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