Rath Yatra: Eight lakh devotees thronged Puri to participate holy event

Bhubaneswar/Puri, July 6: Over eight lakh devotees participated in today’s Rath Yatra of the lord Jagannath and his elder brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra. Grand festival of chariots began with traditional fervor this morning.

Devotees waiting to have darshan of Trinity

The holy Trinity were on a nine day sojourn to their aunts house Shree Gundicha temple riding three huge chariots (Rathas) along the three kilometers long Badadanda.

Though all the nitees were performed as per the time fixed by the temple administration, there was inordinate delay in pulling of the chariots.

While the pulling time was fixed for 3.30 pm it actually began by 4.35. As a result no chariots were able to reach its destination Gundicha temple. By the time pulling was stopped three chariots were on the way.

Giant floral tiaras around deities head 

While the Balabadra rath was at Mausima temple Subhadra rath was near Bagala Dharmshalla and Jagannath rath Nandighosh was near the palace of the Puri king. The pulling would resume on the Thursday. Ramchandra Dasmahapatra, a senior Daitapati said, it happened after a decade that no rath reached destination even though the nitees were completed on time.

Earlier on the Tuesday night Daita servitors worked late in the night to prepare the deities for the journey by performing “Chhenapattalaagi” (fixing a body armour to the body of the deities so that they could bear the stress during the pahandi. Pahandi began by 9.15 am and was completed by about 2pm. Devotees waiting to witness Pahandi jostled among themselves to have glimpse of the pahandi.

Deities came out of the temple one after another with Lord Balabhadra first followed by sister Subhadra and in the end came lord of the universe Lord Jagannath. Giant floral tiaras formed head gears of the deities. Typical swinging of the tiaras to the tune of cymbals, mrudangas, drums, bugles and blowing of conch, besides artists dancing Odissi and display of martial arts and Banati was spectacular to look.

artists dancing Odissi

As soon as deities came out of the temple main gate ‘Simhadwar’ Haribol, Jai Jagannath and religious hymns rented the cloudy air.

The servitors installed deities in their respective rathas. Sankaracharya of Puri Gobardhan peeth Swamy Nischalananda Saraswati went upto the rathas and offered prayers.

Gajapati Dibyasingh Dev came in a colourful palanquin from his palace and performed ‘chherapahanra’ (sweeping of the rathas with a gold broom) on three chariots which were over by 4.20 pm.

Gajapati Dibyasingh Dev performing Chherapahanra

The servitors then dismantled the ladders and fixed the wooden horses to the chariots. At 4.35 pm Taldhwaja rath of Lord Balabhadra was rolled out followed by Darpadalan of Subhadra at 5.20 pm and Nandighosh of Lord Jagannath was pulled at 5.40 pm.

With high humidity surrounds Badadanda, scores of devotees fell unconscious and were being treated in health care facilities. By the time of pulling of Nandighosh of Lord Jagannath, it rained.

One Manoj Pattnaik (50) of Puri ram mandir area was found lying dead on the Badadanda. He was taken to DHH. Police registered an unnatural death (U/D) case and sent the body for post mortem.

An elaborate security arrangement was made to ensure safe and smooth conduct of the fete. DGP KB Singh is supervising the security while top officers were manning various sectors of security zones.

Multi-layer security arrangements have been made for the smooth conduct of the festival. CCTVs have been installed at various locations to keep a tab on the people.

Chariots pulled by devotees

A total of 131 platoons of the Odisha State Armed Police have been deployed in the holy coastal town.

Besides, 16 officers in the rank of Commandant and Superintendent of Police, 26 officers in the rank of Additional Superintendent of Police and Deputy Commandant, 52 officers in the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police and Assistant Commandant, 82 Inspectors, 542 Sub-Inspectors, 388 Constables, 25 Traffic Havildars, 61 traffic Constables and more than 2,000 Home Guards have also been deployed to maintain law and order.

Odisha Chief minister Naveen Patnaik,  State Governor S C Jamir, Chief Justice of the state High Court Vineet  Saran and Supreme Court Justice Amitav Roy, number of Justices of neighbouring states, ministers Arun Sahu, Pradip Maharathy, Pranab Prakash Das, Sanjay Dasburma, local parliament member Pinaki Mishra and local legislator Maheswar Mohanty were present on the occasion.