Puri: Ahead of annual Rath Yatra festival of Holy Trinity — Lord Balabhadra, Lord Jagannath and Devi Subhadra—in Puri, preparation has started for construction of their chariots. The temple administration received the third consignment of logs needed for Chariot construction Monday.
As many as 21 logs from Daspalla locality under Nayagarh forest division reached Puri in two trucks which include 9 logs of 20-feet long Asan wood, 6 logs of 12-feet long Asan wood, and 6 logs of 20-feet long Dhaura wood, said a source.
According to an official in Sri Jagannath Temple Administration, 865 logs are needed for construction of the three chariots. However, with 193 logs already in stock, this year, only 672 pieces of logs will be procured to build the chariots.
266 pieces of logs will come from a sawmill at Khapuria in Cuttack town while another 406 pieces will be procured from the chariot mill. So far, 125 pieces of logs have reached. ‘Rath Amina’ Laxman Mohapatra, JTP Ramchandra Maharana and ‘Chief Mekap’ will visit Cuttack Khapuria sawmill to offer prayers before beginning the alignment work.
The construction of the chariots will begin on holy Akshaya Tritiya April 26.
PNN