Though lakhs of pilgrims braving the incessant rains flocked into Puri to witness and participate in the grand Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, his elder Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra on Thursday, none of the three rathas could reach their destination, the Gundicha temple today. The deaths of two devotees and hospitalisation of severals others further deteriorated the situation. Drenched to the bone in incessant rains, waiting to witness the Pahandi of the deities, particularly of Lord Jagannath, their hopes were shattered as the Pahandi of Lord Jagannath was delayed by over two hours. As per the temple schedule for the day, Pahandi was to begin by 9.30 am and be completed by 12.30 pm. Though it began half-an-hour early, but completed by 2.30 pm.
Pulling of the rathas was suspended for the day, with the Taladhwaja Rath of Balabhadra stopped at hospital square, the Darpadallan Rath of Devi Subhadra at Marichikot square, and the Nandighosh Rath of Lord Jagannath, moved a few metres to maintain the tradition. The pulling will be resumed on Friday morning.
Early this morning, priests performed the daily chores of the deities, beginning with Mangal Arati, Mailum, Tadap Lagi, Abakasha, Surya Puja, and Rosa Homa, and offered khichdi bhog. At 9 am, the ceremonial Dhadi Pahandi (queue system) began. Daita servitors escorted lord Balabhadra to Taladhwaja Ratha, Devi Subhadra to the Darpadalan, and Jagannath to the Nandighosh in a regal procession accompanied by a concert of ghantas, mridangs, and blowing of conch, with Odissi dancers leading the Pahandi. Devotees went into ecstasy and spiritual trance but had to wait for hours under the inclement weather to have a glimpse of the Lord Jagannath. When the lord, after two hours, came out of the Simhadwar, the main gate of the temple, devotees were shocked to see the bare-headed lord with only Tulsi on his head, and no tiara. Amid chanting of “Haribol, Jai Jagannath!” and the ululation of women devotees, the Lord was conducted to Nandighosh Rath in Pahandi by the servitors. Devotees, drenched in rain, jostled among themselves to have a glimpse of Lord Jagannath.
Shankaracharya of Puri Gobardhan peeth, Swami Nischalananda Saraswati, came with his disciples and offered prayers to the trinity on their respective Rathas. Gajapati Dibyasingh Dev arrived in a beautifully decorated palanquin near the festival site at 4 pm. He performed Chhera Pahanra (sweeping around the deities on the Rathas with a gold broom), a historical ritual on all three Rathas. It was completed by 4.40 pm.
Servitors removed Charamala (ladders) from the rathas and fixed wooden horses to the Taladhwaja Ratha of Balabhadra. At 5 pm, devotees were allowed to pull it. Soon, Devi Subhadra began her journey on Darpadalan by 6 pm. but could not proceed as the Taladhwaja Ratha of Balabhadra remained stationary ahead of her near the hospital square, and the Nandighosh Ratha of Lord Jagannath was pulled a few meters.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy Chief Ministers Pravati Parida and K.V. Singh Deo, Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan, and many of their cabinet colleagues, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and local MP Sambit Patra witnessed the festival.
Around 12,000 security personnel, including the RAF, NDRF, NSG, anti-drone squads, and AI-monitored surveillance, covered the entire town and the festival venue. Odisha’s marine police vessels patrol the coastline, while surveillance drones keep a close vigil on the town. The district magistrate had declared five kms radial distance from the town a no-fly zone for commercial drones and unmanned flying machines.
The humidity was very high, and many devotees suffocated and fell unconscious. Volunteers rushed them to the nearest medical facility. Most of them were released after a brief treatment, while two people, including an old devotee, died of suffocation. One is identified as Anil Das of Cuttack. The details of the deceased are yet to be officially released.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who is present at the festival site, has directed the state health minister Mukesh Mahaling to investigate the unfortunate deaths, it is learnt.
District Magistrate Dibyajyoti Parida, SP Prateek Singh, Sri Jagannath temple administration (SJTA) Chief Aravind Padhee, DGP Y.B. Khurania, and ADGP Soumendra Priyadarshi was present.
