The Lord of the universe is ill again.

[Kapalika]

Swami Gyan Prakash, priest of Jagannath temple, “This is an annual affair. Since, the idols of Lord Jagannath and his sister Subhadra and brother Balbhadra are made of wood, they get worn out in a year’s period. Thus, temple doors are closed for a fortnight, when the idols are spruced up.” The temple doors were closed on Monday and would now reopen on July 09.

“According to folklore, on ‘Jyeshtha Purnima’, which fell last Sunday, Lord Jagannath took a bath which made him fall ill and thus unfit to give darshan to his devotees. The makeover of the Jagannath idol is the modern day equivalent of the mythological tale,” said the priest.

Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/lucknow/lord-jagannath-on-15-day-sick-leave/story-U5XtV1sFl8BdxHdPhuZuGP.html

I was a little confused at first thinking this was referring to a human.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Perhaps a folk-lore for Swami Gyan Prakash, but a fact for us, the believers.

 

[Kapalika]

Perhaps a folk-lore for Swami Gyan Prakash, but a fact for us, the believers.

From my understanding this is a ritual to fix up the idol. I know that the Mutri is seen as identical to the deity. So is that how it happens? It affects the deity that way? Now that I asked that if that's the case it seems a little redundant to ask but I'm just trying to make sure I understand But I also wanna ask why it's then this idol that would affect him, but what of others? Is it just this deity that can be affected this way, or can others be too?

Sorry, just interested in the logistics and (metaphysics?) of it

 

[Aupmanyav]

But I also wanna ask why it's then this idol that would affect him, but what of others? Is it just this deity that can be affected this way, or can others be too? Sorry, just interested in the logistics and (metaphysics?) of it

Questions are no problem. In Hinduism, the consecrated idol is a living deity. When the deity is not well, then he cannot be asked to take care of us, he will not be able to grant us favors and boons. So we pray for his early return to health and help in a way that we can, preparing herbal medicines and making him drink that, giving him fruits and fruit juice instead of the regular heavy-on-digestion fare that we give him on normal day (56 dishes - Chappan bhog). Soon, the deity returns to his responsibilities.

I cannot name any other deity who also takes leave from his/her responsibilities. But our variations are infinite and I am sure there are other such deities also.

In the Vedic time also Indra was offered 'Soma' drink, so that he could better fight with the demons of darkness in their hundred iron forts. In our traditions, both the deity and the worshiper have their complementary roles.

 

[Kapalika]

Questions are no problem. In Hinduism, the consecrated idol is a living deity. When the deity is not well, then he cannot be asked to take care of us, he will not be able to grant us favors and boons. So we pray for his early return to health and help in a way that we can, preparing herbal medicines and making him drink that, giving him fruits and fruit juice instead of the regular heavy-on-digestion fare that we give him on normal day (56 dishes - Chappan bhog). Soon, the deity returns to his responsibilities.

I guess I'm not as immediately familiar with idols as I've never seen one with a murti in person. Although in the past I've done rituals for new altars/spaces to consecrate/bring a deity's energies into yantras and other types of abstract symbols. I guess I always saw what I did more as creating a gateway or proxy rather than identical like a murti is. I honestly never gave it much thought before. In retrospect, I could of made them into murtis and not realized it. That could explain a few things.

 

[Aupmanyav]

The story is that Lord Krishna eats eight times in a day. When he raised Goverdhan mountain on his fingers to save the people of Vraja from the wrath of Indra, the Lord of rain, he had to remain without food for seven days. Therefore, the devotees offer him 7 x 8 = 56 kinds of dishes.

Chhappan bhog - Google Search:

108 tonnes of Chappan bhog: Many a times we go on an overdrive.