PURI: Thousands of devotees have started thronging pilgrim town Puri as Lord Jagannath and his two siblings - elder brother Balabhadra and younger sister Subhadra - are ready for their annual nine-day Rath Yatra beginning on Thursday. All roads are leading to the pilgrim town as the stage is set for the Rath Yatra.
The three majestic chariots were taken on Wednesday one after another by the police personnel from construction yard to Simhadwar facing East towards Gundicha temple. They have been kept ready in front of the 12th-century shrine and will be pulled by thousands of devotees on Thursday.
The Trinity would go on a nine-day sojourn to their aunt’s house Gundicha temple riding the three chariots. Lord Balabhadra would lead the chariot procession riding Taladhwaja. It will be followed by Devi Subhadra in Darpadalana. Lord Jagannath would go riding Nandighosa in the end.
The deities will return to Sri Mandir after completion of the nine-day yatra called ‘Bahuda Yatra’. The State administration has made elaborate arrangements for smooth and peaceful conduct of the festival. It would be a challenge for the administration to accommodate the tourists in the pilgrim town, which was devastated by cyclone Fani that hit the coastal district on May 3.
On Thursday morning, a Purohit will perform Yajna to consecrate the three chariots. The rituals will begin with ‘Mangala Arati’ at 6 am, followed by ‘Mailam’ and ‘Vesha,’ ‘Rosha Homa’ and Surya Puja.’ Then ‘Gopal Bhog’ and ‘Khichidi Bhog’ will be offered.
‘Pahandi’ is scheduled to start on Thursday by 9.30 am and will be completed by 12.30 pm. ‘Chherapahanra’ of the chariots by Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb would be performed from 1.30 pm to 2.30 pm. After fixing of wooden horses to the chariots, the pulling is scheduled to start by 4 pm.
More than 155 platoons of armed police personnel, including 1,000 officers of various ranks and 2,400 home guards, are deployed in and around Puri to ensure safe conduct of the festival. Two companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF) and intelligence sleuths were engaged to spot suspicious elements in the crowd. The Railways engaged scores of armed policemen while 220 CCTV cameras have been installed at various places.