Puri: The chariots of Goddess Subhadra and Lord Jagannath reached Gundicha temple Wednesday following a halt in chariot pulling Tuesday.
The chariot of Lord Balabhadra had arrived at the temple Tuesday. However, Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosh and Devi Subhadra’s Darpadalan reached Gundicha temple today following the resumption of chariot pulling in morning hours.
Darpadalan was stranded at Bandasakha about 200 m away from the destination, while Nandighosh was at Balagandi, about two kilometres from Gundicha temple during the Ratha Yatra Tuesday.
According to the Chief Administrator of Srimandir Ranjan Kumar Das, a limited number of devotees started pulling the chariots at 9am today. There are many rituals to be followed today and tomorrow morning, he added.
Das further said that the deities will be taken to Adapa Mandapa inside the Gundicha temple Thursday between 3pm and 4pm through Goti Pahandi ritual. Afterwards, Adapa Darshan will begin.
The idols are, however, yet to be taken inside Gundicha temple, where they will be present till June 28. They will then be taken back to the Srimandir (Shree Jagannath Mandir) in Bahuda Yatra.
Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) officials said that the sibling deities will remain on their chariots for the time being and will be taken to the Adapa Mandapa of the Gundicha Temple in the customary ‘Pahandi’ ritual Thursday evening.
SJTA is looking into the reason for the delay by the chariots in reaching Gundicha Temple, they said.
They were taken out of Shree Jagannath temple after completing the myriad rituals ahead of time and were slated to reach Gundicha Temple, which is about three km away, by 6 pm Tuesday, they added.
Senior servitor Binayak Dasmohapatra said there were more people on the chariots and also in the inner cordons, which affected the pulling of the gigantic chariots and led to the delay.
SJTA chief administrator Ranjan Kumar Das when asked said, “All happens as per the wishes of Lord Jagannath”.
Meanwhile, the pilgrim seaside town witnessed Wednesday the same enthusiasm which was seen on Rath Yatra when the chariots were pulled towards Gundicha temple. Thousands of people joined in and the police arrangements were the same as it was on the previous day.
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With the chariots stranded, many devotees who could not make it Tuesday rushed to Puri to avail the opportunity to pull the chariots.
About 12 lakh devotees had flocked the Grand Road outside Shree Jagannath Temple Tuesday to witness the annual ride of the deities in their chariots to Gundicha Temple, which is considered their birthplace.
Elaborate arrangements were made by the district administration and Odisha Police for smooth conduct of the festival. It continued Wednesday too.
It can be mentioned here that at least 14 people were reportedly injured during the pulling of Lord Balabhadra’s Taladhwaja chariot Tuesday. The incident took place in the afternoon when the Taladhwaja chariot reached Marichikote Chhak.
PNN & Agencies