Puri: For the first time in the history of Puri Rath Yatra, the chariots of Lord Jagannath and His siblings were pulled on the Grand Road here without the congregation of devotees Tuesday.
The festival was organised amid tight security in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, less than 24 hours after the Supreme Court modified its earlier order thereby clearing the decks for the annual mega festival. In order to prevent any congregation on the Grand Road, a curfew-like shutdown was imposed across Puri district from 9 pm Monday till 2 pm Wednesday, Director General of Police (DGP) Abhay said.
Priests and police personnel, who were supposed to pull the three chariots, underwent mandatory Covid-19 testing Monday night and only those whose reports came out negative were allowed to participate in the festival, said an official of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA).
A number of customary rituals like Mangala Arati and Mailam were held before the presiding deities set out from the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.
The three deities were taken out of the temple down the 22 steps known as Baisi Pahacha through the Lions’ Gate in an elaborate procession called Pahandi. “The Pahandi procession of the deities started at 7.25 am after the completion of rituals like Sakala Dhoopa and Mangalarpan,” said the temple official.At first, Sudarshana, the celestial wheel of Krishna-Vishnu, was taken out and placed in the Darpadalan chariot followed by Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and finally Lord Jagannath. “All the three deities were placed inside their respective chariots through a Pahandi procession by 9.10 am,” added the official.
Soon after the completion of Pahandi procession, Puri Shankaracharya Nischalananda Saraswati along with his disciples visited the chariots and paid obeisance to the deities.
Subsequentlly, Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb performed the Chhera Panhara with a golden broom on the three chariots. “Servitors started pulling the Taladhwaja chariot of Lord Balabhadra at 11.55 am after the completion of Chhera Panhara ritual,” said the official.
The pulling of the Darpadalan chariot of Devi Subhadra and Nandighosa chariot of Lord Jagannath started at 12.55 pm and 1.55 pm respectively. “One hour gap was mandatory between the pulling of chariots as per the apex court order,” said Srimandir sources.
The three chariots were pulled to Saradhabali in front of Srigundicha temple here by 5.10 pm. “Taladhwaja chariot reached Saradhabali around 3.50 pm while Darpadalan reached the place at 4.10 pm. Nandighosa reached its destination at 5.10 pm,” said a servitor. The deities will spend a night on their respective chariots at Saradhabali.
They will be taken to the Adapa Mandap of Srigundicha temple thorough Pahandi procession Wednesday afternoon, added the servitor.
Disallowed to physically participate in the grand festival, lakhs of devotees got a chance to witness the Rath Yatra live on television.
Over 50 platoons of police force (one platoon has 30 personnel) have been deployed and CCTVs installed at various locations as part of the security arrangement for the nine-day festival, officials said.