Lord of the Universe embarks on annual Rath Yatra in Puri amid Covid protocols, sans devotees

Express News Service
PURI: The Grand Road reverberated with love and devotion as Lord Jagannath alongside along with his siblings launched into a nine-day annual sojourn amid tight safety and enforcement of Covid protocols however sans devotees on the event of the world well-known Rath Yatra on Monday.

The competition course of started at 4.30 am with clergymen performing Mangal arati adopted by Mailum, Tadap lagi and Abakash after which Khichdi bhog was provided earlier than the deities have been escorted to their respective chariots in Pahandi (ceremonial procession).

Simultaneously at Simhadwar, temple clergymen carried out homa and consecrated the three chariots after Kanakmundis have been mounted atop the Raths. Earlier Daita servitors labored in a single day to repair Chhenapatta (physique armour) to deities to minimise the stress in the course of the Pahandi.

At about 7 am, Daita servitors performed Pahandi of Lord Balabhadra adopted by Goddess Subhadra after which Lord Jagannath. Apart from the Trinity, Madanmohan, Ramakrushna and Sudarshan have been additionally escorted to chariots. The Pahandi was accomplished by 9.30 am.

Thereafter, the Sankaracharya of Gobardhan peeth Swamy Neeschalananda Saraswati alongside along with his disciples climbed onto the Raths and provided prayers.

Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb got here in a adorned palanquin from his palace, carried out arati, bandapana, rajnitee, sprinkled holy water on the Raths, carried out Chherapahanra (sweeping on the deck of Raths across the deities with a brush) and provided prayers.

The pulling of chariots started after servitors mounted Sarathis (charioteers), wood horses and ropes. Taladhwaj, the chariot of Lord Balabhadra, began rolling at 12.05 pm, three hours forward of schedule. Pulling was to start by 3 pm.

Though Met officers predicted rains on Monday, the sky was clear with vibrant sunshine. Fire division officers labored exhausting to spray water on the chariot pullers to beat the scorching warmth and maintain the Grand Road setting nice.

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The Trinity — Lord Balabhadra, Goddess Subhadra and Lord Jagannath — comes out of the temple to offer a darshan to their devotees on the auspicious Ashadha sukla dwitiya yearly. They are introduced in three separate chariots to their Janma Bedi (beginning place) Gundicha temple.

As per the usual working process (SOP) issued by the state authorities, the competition is being organised in adherence to Covid protocols and sans devotees for the second consecutive yr.

Over 4000 RT-PCR exams have been performed on servitors, temple officers, police and scribes. People with Covid adverse stories have been allowed to take part within the grand occasion.

Around 500 servitors have been allowed to tug the chariots sustaining social distancing and carrying masks following the directives of the Supreme Court. The temple administration has made 20 first support centres operational alongside the three km stretch of Badadanda.

As many as 65 platoons of police have been deployed for the graceful conduct of the annual competition whereas a 24-hour curfew has been imposed within the city. All the roads linking Puri and inside roads related with Grand Road have been sealed. Security personnel have been protecting an in depth vigil from the rooftops of buildings positioned alongside the Grand Road.