All three chariots reach Srimandir:
Lord Balabhadra’s Taladhwaja, Devi Subhadra’ Devadalana and Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosha reached Srimandir as Bahuda Yatra comes to an end. The deities and chariots will stay on the Grand Road for Suna Besa scheduled to be held Thursday. Adhara Pana will be held Friday – July 3 and Niladri Bije will be held Saturday – July 4.
Poda Pitha (traditional cakes) being offered to Holy Trinity:
Servitors of Mausi Maa temple offer traditional baked cakes to Lord Balabhadra, Lord Jagannath and Devi Subhadra on their return journey
Nandighosa begins rolling on Grand Road:
After Taladhwaja of elder brother Lord Balabhadra and Darpadalana of sister Devi Subhadra, Nandighosa chariot of Lord Jagannath started its return journey towards Srimandir. Chariot pulling started at 1:20pm.
Goddess Subhadra trails brother Lord Balabhadra:
Darpadalana, the chariot of Devi Subhadra, has started rolling on Bada Danda amidst chant of hymns, blowing of conchs and beating of gongs and cymbals. Chariot pulling started at 12:20pm.
Chariot pulling begins:
Chariot of Lord Balabhadra — the eldest among the Holy Trinity — is the first to be pulled. Hundreds of servitors started pulling the chariot at 11:30am.
Ropes being tied to chariots:
The ‘chara malas’ were taken off the chariots after Chhera Panhara ritual and ropes are being tied now. Wooden horses and charioteers are also being attached to the chariots of the Trinity. Servitors are getting prepared to begin chariot pulling which will begin shortly. Cops are on their toes to main discipline. That said, social distancing norms have gone for a toss even without a large congregation of devotees.
Aerial view of Puri town:
Chhera Panhara begins:
Puri King Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb, known as the first servitor of Lord Jagannath, performed the Chhera Panhara (sweeping of the three chariot floors with a golden broom) ritual, considered to be one of the most important rituals.
The Chhera Panhara ritual during which the first servitor of the Lord – Puri’s titular king Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb — sweeps the chariots in a gold broom has begun. Chhera Panhara on Lord Balabhadra’s chariot was done at 10:32am.
Pahandi ritual begins:
The pahandi (procession) of the deities has been conducted smoothly. After Chakraraj Sudarshan, Bada Thakura Balabhadra, followed by Devi Subhadra & lastly Mahaprabhu Jagannath were making their way to their respective chariots one after another.
Pahandi rituals of the three deities and Lord Sudarshan started after Mangalarpana. The Holy Trinity were then taken to their chariots in Dhadi Pahandi.
Lord Balabhadra, the eldest of the Puri Holy Trinity, steped out of Gundicha temple in ceremonial ‘Dhadi Pahandi’ for the return journey to Srimandir at 8:38 am.
Following elder brother Goddess Subhadra also mounted on Darpadalana chariot during her return journey to Srimandir at 8:51am.
Adorned with a giant floral crown and those mesmerizing eyes, the Lord Jagannath, appeared before devotees & mounted at his splendid Nandigosha chariot at 9:18 am.
Puri Gajapati King Divyasingha Deb will perform Chhera Panhara on the three chariots between 10.30 am and 11.30 am. The servitors will conduct the Charamala Phita (untying of ropes) of the three chariots and fix the wooden horses and charioteers (Sarathi) between 11 am and 12 pm. The pulling of chariots will begin at 12 pm.
Morning rituals:
The well-decorated three grand chariots parked near the Sri Jagannath Temple are waiting for the deities to mount them, though the usual crowd of devotees is missing this year due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Since morning, there is a frenzied excitement surrounding the temple bevause of the elaborate rituals that are being performed. Mangal Alati was performed at 3am. The rituals that followed were Tadaplagi, Dwarpala Puja, Besha Sesha, Rath Prathishtha and Mangalarpana.
Bahuda Yatra schedule:
According to the notification issued by SJTA, the schedule for the rituals are as follows:
Mangal Alati——————————4am
Mailama———————————-4:15am
Tadap Laagi——————————4:30am
Rosha Homa—————————–4:30am
Abakasha———————————5:00am
Surya Puja——————————–5:15am
Dwarapala Puja—————————5:30am
Besha Sesha——————————-5:30am
Gopala Ballava, Sakala Dhupa: 5:45am—6:45am
Senapata Lagi—————————–7:00am to 7:30am
Mangalarpan——————————7:45am
Bahuda Pahandi—————————8:00am to 10:00am
Besha Sesha——————————-9am to 10:30am
Chhera Panhara—————————10:30am to 11:30am
Charamala Phita and Horse fitting——-11:00am to 12 noon
Pulling of chariots————————12 noon
Bahuda Yatra begins:
The Bahuda Yatra of the Holy Trinity is being observed in Puri Wednesday amid a curfew and sans devotees after the Supreme Court of India modified its earlier stay order to allow the conduct of the festival without devotees.
The government is leaving no stones unturned to ensure a smooth conduct of the festival with the co-ordination of the top state officials.
The temple administration and servitors have geared up to conduct the rituals on time and ensure that the COVID guidelines are strictly followed. The Grand Road, popularly known as ‘Bada Danda’ was sanitised and adequate platoons of police personnel have been deployed to ensure a smooth Bahuda Yatra Wednesday.