Author

Jyotirmayee Dash and Sarita Das

Abstract

The Jagannath Temple at Puri, Odisha, represents many unique systems and ritual practices that are not found elsewhere, including the ethnomedicinal healthcare of the deities. Since Lord Jagannath and his siblings are regarded as anthropomorphic deities, their ritual care includes plant-based formulations analogous to traditional therapeutics. During specific ritual periods, particularly Anasara (symbolic febrile phase) and Nabakalebara (rejuvenation), specialised herbal preparations are administered, reflecting indigenous concepts of preventive and curative medicine. This study documents and analyses the ethnomedicinal plant resources used in ritual healthcare practices at the Jagannath Temple. Data were collected through repeated field visits, structured questionnaires, and interviews with temple authorities, priests, service providers, and local communities. A total of 43 plant species belonging to 38 genera and 28 families were recorded. These botanicals are used in the preparation of medicinal formulations (e.g., Dasamula Modak, Phuluri Taila) and topical applications (Khalilagi, Bramhalepa, Bajralepa, Osalagi), many of which correspond to classical Ayurvedic therapeutic principles. Systematic documentation of such temple-based ethnomedicinal knowledge systems used in the herbal care of Lord Jagannath and by local people in Puri has emphasised that their uses are based on authentic Ayurvedic and traditional knowledge of ancient people. Beyond their cultural significance, these practices contribute to the conservation of medicinal plant knowledge and offer potential leads for future pharmacological research.

page: 125-140

Doi Number 10.61289/jibs2026.02.13.0569

Keywords Ethnomedicine; Ethnobotany; Jagannath Temple; Medicinal plants; Ayurvedic knowledge; Biodiversity conservation; Dasamula modak; Phuluri taila.