Jagannath’s Planetary Wardrobe

At the Jagannath Temple in Puri, the deities are not only adorned with elaborate Beshas for special festivals but also undergo a daily change of clothes. This daily ritual involves dressing Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra in different colored silken clothes called “Baralagi Pata,” with each day of the week associated with a specific color representing a planet.  

Jagannath Clothes: Baralagi Pata Weekly Colors and Planetary Links

• Sunday: Red, representing the Sun
• Monday: Whitish cloth with black spots, representing the Moon
• Tuesday: Five-colored cloth (Pancharangi), representing Mars
• Wednesday: Sky blue, representing Mercury
• Thursday: Yellow, representing Jupiter
• Friday: White, representing Venus
• Saturday: Violet, representing Saturn  
  
  This daily ritual of changing the deities’ attire is a testament to the meticulous care and devotion with which they are worshipped. It’s a beautiful expression of the deep spiritual connection between the divine and the celestial realm.

Baralagi Pata changes through the week: red for the Sun on Sunday, whitish cloth with black spots for the Moon on Monday, five-colored cloth for Mars on Tuesday, sky blue for Mercury on Wednesday, yellow for Jupiter on Thursday, white for Venus on Friday and violet for Saturn on Saturday. These clothes follow the Baralagi Pata rhythm and form a daily attire tradition distinct from festival Beshas. The sequence connects the deities’ silken clothing with the weekday planetary associations described above and shows how daily dressing forms part of regular worship at the Jagannath Temple in Puri.