Smooth start to Baripada Bahuda Yatra

Baripada: As per tradition, Bahuda Yatra or return car festival of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra was started smoothly here Sunday, a day after the Puri Bahuda Yatra. Thousands of devotees thronged the Badadanda in Baripada, known as the ‘Dwitiya Srikhetra’.

All rituals including ‘Mangala Arati’, ‘Surya Puja’, ‘Abakash’ and ‘Magana’ were performed in the morning while ‘Madhyahna Dhupa’ was performed at noon. In a unique tradition, the chariot of Devi Subhadra ‘Darpadalana’ was pulled by thousands of women devotees Sunday. The practice dates back to 1975.

As per tradition, Lord Jagannath’s chariot ‘Nandighosha’ was drawn by devotees and it first reached Haribaldev Jew temple at 4.15 pm while Darpadalana, the chariot of Devi Subhadra, was drawn halfway and car pulling will resume from Monday. As per the tradition of Baripada, only women pull the chariot of Devi Subhadra’s ‘Darpadalana’.

The unique practice dates back to 1975. Lady police personnel were deployed in large numbers around the Darpadalana. After Devi Subhadra’s chariot reaches the temple, then the chariot of Lord Balabhadra will be drawn tomorrow.

As a practice, after completion of chariot drawing, some rituals are performed for Chaturdhamurtis. Then the deities will be taken inside the temple. There was massive security arrangement for the Rath Yatra here on the Grand Road.

Similarly Badhuda Yatra of the Trinity was held at Rajnagar area in Kendrapara Sunday amid religious fervour. After all rituals were performed, thousands of devotees pulled the three chariots to the temple.