Puri:Lakhs of devotees from across the country on Tuesday thronged this pilgrim city to witness the Rath Yatra, the nine-day sojourn of the presiding deities of the Sri Jagannath temple.
The chanting of 'haribol' and clanging of cymbals rented the air as the three presiding deities came out of Ratna sinhasan, their original abode on ceremonial pahandi procession through the “Baisi pahacha” to the Lions gate where the three chariots were parked to take them to the Gundicha temple.
Lakhs of devotees converged at the 3-km long 'bada danda'(grand road) from the Lions Gate of the 12th century edifice to the Gundicha temple to witness the grand annual world-famous car festival.
Temple sources said Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Lord Balavadra and sister Devi Subhadra were offered 'gopal bhog' (breakfast) after necessary rituals before being taken out from the 'Ratnavedi' of the sanctum sanctorum in a ceremonial 'pahandi bije' to their respective well-decorated chariots parked outside the temple.
The temple servitors took the deities on their shoulders from the temple amidst blowing of conch shells through Ananda Bazar and the 'Baishi Pahacha' to the Lions Gate under tight security.
The chariots - the red and yellow 'Nandighosha' of Lord Jagannath with 16 wheels, red and green 'Taladhwaja' of Balabhadra with 14 wheels and red and black 'Devadalana' of Devi Subhadra -with a dozen wheels were lined up outside the temple near the Lions Gate.
As per rituals, Lord Balavadra was first taken out of the 'ratna vedi' and installed in the chariot called 'Taladhwaja' through the ceremonial 'pahandi bije', followed by Devi Subhadra to the 'Darpadalan Chariot' and lastly Lord Jagannath, fondly called as 'kalia' by lakhs of devotees, was installed in the 'Nandighosh' chariot.
The devotees broke into frenzied shouts of 'Haribol' and 'Jai Jagannath' as soon as they witnessed the deities coming out of the temple to board the chariots to begin their nine-day sojourn to the Gundicha temple.
The appearance of the deities in public is believed to expel the darkness and bring light. There was virtually a mad rush of the devotees at the Lions Gate to have a glimpse of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balavadra and Devi Subhadra taken on a pahandi bije to the chariots.
Temple sources said after the three deities were installed in the chariots, 'Gajapati' of Puri Dibyasingha Deb would conduct the 'chera panhara' (cleaning the three chariots with a golden broom). (with UNI inputs)
