Puri: A technical team will dismantle the chariots of presiding deities of Puri Jagannath temple with utmost care at Singhadwara of Srimandir, Wednesday.
Later the dismantled chariots will be shifted to Jagannath Ballava Matha, about half a kilometer from Jagannath Temple for darshan of devotees who could not participate in the 2020 Rath Yatra due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A letter to dismantle the chariots of Lord Balabhadra, Lord Jagannath and Goddess Subhadra has been written to Bhoi Sardar, informed Shree Jagannath Temple Administration’s (SJTA) Administrator (Development), Ajay Kumar Jena Tuesday.
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Sources said that the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) would preserve the three chariots of this year’s Rath Yatra to remember the uniqueness of the festival which was organised without the congregation of devotees in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.
As per a decision taken by the temple administration, the three chariots would be displayed for devotees and people at Srijagannath Ballav mutt in the Holy City here.
After the technical teams dismantle the chariots, parts of the chariots will be shifted to Jagannath Ballav Matha for preservation purpose. There the carpenters of Puri Srimandir will reconstruct the chariot which would be damaged during the dismantling process. Teak and saal woods would be used for reconstruction of the damaged parts.
Notably, there was much uncertainty with regards to the organisation of this year’s Rath Yatra due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The annual festival was organised without the congregation of devotees on the Grand Road in accordance with the Supreme Court order.
PNN
