Puri: The sacred Pahandi rituals of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra concluded in Puri on Friday, marking the beginning of the Bahuda Yatra, the return journey of the Holy Trinity from the Gundicha Temple to the Shree Jagannath Temple.
Amid chants of ‘Jai Jagannath’, ‘Haribol’ and ‘Hulahuli’ by thousands of devotees, the deities were ceremonially carried out from the Gundicha Temple and placed on their respective chariots in the traditional Pahandi procession. The Grand Road reverberated with the sound of conch shells, gongs and cymbals as devotees gathered in large numbers to witness the holy occasion.
The Pahandi rituals, considered one of the most significant ceremonies of the Rath Yatra festival, began with the procession of Lord Sudarshan, followed by Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath. The servitors carried the deities in a majestic ceremonial procession amid strict adherence to age-old traditions.
After the completion of the rituals, Lord Balabhadra was seated on the Taladhwaja chariot, Devi Subhadra on the Darpadalana chariot, and Lord Jagannath on the Nandighosha chariot.
The chariot pulling ceremony will commence after the traditional ‘Chhera Pahanra’ ritual is performed by Gajapati Maharaja Divyasingha Deva.
The Bahuda Yatra marks the return of the Holy Trinity to the 12th-century Shree Jagannath Temple after their stay at the Gundicha Temple. The return journey is considered a major spiritual event, drawing devotees from across Odisha and other parts of the country to Puri.
As part of the traditional rituals during the return journey, Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosha chariot will halt at the Mausi Maa Temple, where the deity will be offered the customary ‘Poda Pitha’.
With the completion of the Pahandi rituals, Puri witnessed a grand display of devotion and tradition as devotees eagerly awaited the onward movement of the chariots towards the Shree Jagannath Temple.
