Bhubaneswar: Rukuna Rath Yatra, the annual car festival of Lord Lingaraj, began Saturday with thousands of devotees pulling the chariot in Bhubaneswar’s Old Town amid tight security arrangements, officials said.
The chariot could not reach the Mausima Temple as the sun set before the journey could be completed.
It was pulled for only 200 metres along the Ratha Road. Pulling of the chariot will commence Sunday morning, a priest said.
Following daily rituals such as ‘Mangala Alati’, ‘Abakasha Niti’ and ‘Sahanamela’, the bronze idols of ‘Chandrasekhar’ (representative idol of Lord Lingaraj), Devi Rukuna and Ananta Basudev were taken to the chariot from the main temple in a ceremonial procession called ‘Pahandi’ in the afternoon amid chanting of hymns, beating of drums and gongs and blowing of the conch shells.
As the Pahandi ritual started a little late, the chariot could not complete the entire journey and was stopped after 200 metres as the sun set, following which chariot pulling is not held as per tradition, an official said.
“The chariot pulling will resume Sunday morning. Elaborate security arrangements have been made,” Additional District Magistrate Rudranarayan Mohanty said.
Rukuna Rath is called ‘analeuta’ (un-turned) as the chariot does not take a turn during the return car festival and is instead pulled from the rear.
The sitting altar of the deities is changed during the homecoming, which will be observed April 9 and 10.
Despite hot weather conditions, thousands of devotees thronged the 11th-century Shiva shrine to catch a glimpse of the deity on the chariot.
A large police contingent comprising 16 platoons (one platoon comprises 30 personnel), besides several officers, was deployed for the event.
PTI
