Bhubaneswar: In a display of devotion, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, and several state ministers joined lakhs of devotees in pulling the majestic chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra during the sacred Rath Yatra on Thursday.
The grand procession, marked by religious fervour and traditional chants, saw the holy trinity being taken from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple. The participation of top dignitaries highlighted the cultural and spiritual unity of the state.
The nine-day sojourn of the deities at the Gundicha Temple will continue on Friday with the resumption of chariot pulling. Devotees from across the country and abroad are expected to participate in large numbers in the remaining days of the festival.
All three chariots came to a halt midway on the Bada Danda today due to delayed rituals.
The pulling of the chariots was delayed through the day. The Taladhwaja chariot of Lord Balabhadra was pulled first, following the Chhera Pahara ceremonial sweeping of the chariots with a golden broom by Gajapati Maharaja Dibya Singha Deb.
Thousands of devotees joined together to pull the magnificent chariot along the Grand Road in processions.
However, the chariots could not complete the journey to Gundicha Temple today. Balabhadra’s Tala Dhwaja stopped at Market Square while Devi Subhadra’s Darpadalan halted at Marichikot Square.
Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosh moved only a few metres from Singha Dwar before stopping.
