Bhubaneswar: The pilgrim town of Puri is abuzz with excitement as the three majestic chariots are ready to roll on the Grand Road Friday, when Lord Jagannath and His siblings, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra, will embark on the annual journey (Rath Yatra) to Gundicha temple. The district administration and the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) have made elaborate arrangements for the mega event, which is expected to be witnessed by lakhs of devotees from across the globe. According to SJTA sources, the three chariots were pulled to the Singhadwar of Srimandir from Rath Yard after receiving Agyan Mala Thursday. As per tradition, Nandighosha chariot of Lord Jagannath was the first to be pulled to the Singhadwar, followed by Darpadalan of Devi Subhadra and Taladhwaja of Lord Balabhadra. “The three chariots reached near the Singhadwar by 7:40pm,” said an SJTA official. The Mangala Alati ritual of the Srimandir deities would be performed at 6:00am Friday. “The deities, along with Lord Sudarshan, will be installed on their respective chariots by 12:30pm. The pulling of chariots towards Gundicha temple will begin by 4:00pm after completion of Chhera Pahanra by 3:30pm,” the official said. Meanwhile, 10,000 security personnel, including those from CAPF, have been deployed for a smooth Rath Yatra. For the first time, NSG commandos have also been deployed for the festival. As many as 275 AI-enabled cameras have been installed at strategic locations in Puri town for the mega event.
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