Puri: Hundreds of carpenters are working under the guidance of three ‘Biswakarmas’ in construction of the three huge chariots for June 20 car festival. Construction work of three huge chariots was steadily progressing in the Rath Khala (construction yard) located along the Badadanda in front of Srimandir office.
Lord Jagannath, his elder Balabhadra and sister Devi Subhadra would go to their house (Gundicha ghar) on a nine day sojourn riding these three chariots along the Grand Road June 20.
Construction of chariots proceeds to a fixed schedule beginning from Akshyay Tritiya and gets completed in 55 days, a day prior to the commencement of the grand event.
On the Bhaunri (May12), the concluding day of the twenty-one-day Chandan yatra, three axles (one axle of each chariot) have been fitted with six wheels.
According to Bijay Mahapatra, the Biswakarma of Nandighosh Rath, almost all the hubs of 42 wheels of three chariots were given shape and now spokes and rims were being fixed while three axles were fixed with wheels as per the schedule.
The temple administration has made elaborate arrangements for the workers engaged in the construction. A workforce of 205 are daily being served breakfast, launch and snacks, and will continue to be served till the completion of the job.
This apart, they are provided with clothings and personal effect kits. A medical team used to test their health status and attend to their health issues in the Rath construction yard every day. The engineers of the Works department visit the construction yard to ensure everything proceeds well. The police, personnel of fire services and healthcare officials with their equipment and ambulance are deployed at the construction yard.
PNN