Bhubaneswar: Veteran chariot carpenter Krushna Chandra Maharana passed away at the age of 90.
Maharana, who had dedicated his life to making the Darpadalana chariot for the annual Rath Yatra festival, breathed his last at his residence in Markandeswar Sahi due to cardiac arrest.
Maharana used to be the chief carpenter of the Darpadalana chariot over the years. With a career spanning over seven decades, Maharana had constructed over 70 chariots and had been involved in five Nabakalebara ceremony which signifies the renewal or re-embodiment ritual of the wooden idols of the Chaturdhamurty of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Sudarshan.
Despite his advanced age, he remained active. In the recently concluded Rath Yatra, Maharana was seen monitoring chariot-making work at Ratha Khala every day. Besides, he had even visited the Deuli Math in Kakatpur during the last Nabakalebara ceremony.
Maharana’s demise has left a void in the community of Biswakarma Maharana, Bhoi Maharana and Kumara Sevaka with many artisans, carpenters, and servitors mourning his loss. His contributions to the festival and his expertise in chariot construction will be deeply missed.
