Puri: The Pahandi Bije ritual of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra for the Rath Yatra started at around 7.00am Monday morning and was completed by 9.15am, an official associated with the programme said. The Pahandi Bije of Lord Balabhadra began at around 7.15am, Goddess Subhadra at 7.25am and that of Lord Jagannath at 7.35am.
Servitors of the Jagannath temple here escorted the idols of the three deities from Ratna Singhasan to their respective chariots – Taladhwaja, Darpadalana and Nandighosa – as per the temple’s age-old traditions, in a ceremonial procession called Pahandi.
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Puri Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb offered his prayers to the three Lords. Gajapati performed the traditional Chhera Pahanra (sweeping rituals) atop the three chariots. The distinctive ritual has socio-religious significance, which is followed by pulling of the three chariots.
PNN