Puri: After much hiccups, the construction of the three chariots for this year’s car festival commenced in the Pilgrim City here Friday.
About 200 carpenters under the guidance of three Biswakarmas (chief carpenters of three chariots) joined the construction of chariots at the Rath Khala (Rath Yard) located in front of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) office here, Srimandir sources said.
Thursday late evening, after getting green signal from the Centre, District Collector Balwant Singh convened a meeting with the three Biswakarmas Bijay Mahapatra of Nandighosa chariot of Lord Jagannath, Nrusingh Maharana of Taladhwaja chariot of Lord Balabhadra and Krushna Chandra Maharana of Darpadalana chariot of Devi Subhadra and temple managing body members.
The Biswakarmas agreed to expedite the construction to meet the target. They formulated a new schedule of work and decided to work from 9 am to 10 pm to make up the delay, Srimandir sources added.
As per the directives of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the prescribed physical distance under the lockdown norms would be maintained at the Rath Yard for which the construction area has been extended.
The Rath Yard has been barricaded and covered with cloth boundaries. None would be allowed to go near the yard. According to Srimandir public relations officer, LD Pujapanda, the persons working at the Rath Yard would be tested for the novel coronavirus and only those found negative would be allowed to work at the yard.
The temple administration has made provisions for their stay in Bhaktaniwas (a shelter house for devotees), where they would be boarded and provided with food and other basic amenities.
The carpenters would be provided with transport facility from Bhaktaniwas to the Rath Yard. Adequate security personnel have been deployed around the yard.
Biswakarma Bijay Mahapatra said the construction schedule has already been delayed by 11 days after the formal ‘Rath Anukul’ ceremony was held inside the temple complex on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya April 26. “Today, the carpenters sliced the logs to carve out hubs of wheels and shaped a few axles. Work began simultaneously on the three chariots,” he added.
As per Srimandir tradition, on the culmination day of the Chandan Yatra, which falls May 17 this year, three sets of wheels should be fixed on three axles of three chariots.
Mohapatra said, “We are rushing against the time to meet the target.”
Besides carpenters, blacksmiths, Roopakaras (painters) and Darzis (tailors) would also work concertedly to complete the chariot construction, he added.
SJTA chief administrator Krishna Kumar said health screening of around 150 people engaged in the chariot construction would be done.
He said the state government has two challenges before it — timely completion of the chariots and maintaining the health of those engaged in the construction.
“We have proposed that the Maharana and Bhoi servitors should remain in the temple lodging house while engaged in the work. They should not go home, keeping in view the health of their family members,” Kumar told reporters after a meeting with all stakeholders.
Kumar said the state government has already received a letter from the MHA for commencement of chariot construction with certain conditions.
The Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee, headed by Gajapati king Dibya Singha Deb, had earlier appealed to both the central and the state governments to allow the chariot construction
work to begin.
The Centre Thursday said the decision of holding the Rath Yatra in Puri would be taken by the Odisha government keeping in mind the prevailing COVID-19 situation, but it allowed construction of the chariots during the lockdown.
