Bhubaneswar: Thousands of devotees with full vigour and religious fervour pulled the chariot of Lord Lingaraj-Rukuna Rath on the occasion of the annual Rukuna Rath Yatra observed on Ashokastami today.
The pulling of the chariot was stopped for the day after sunset at around 6.20 PM near Badhei Banka chhak. The pulling of the chariot to Mausimaa temple will be resumed tomorrow at around 2 PM tomorrow.
As the completion of the rituals of Lord Lingaraj got delayed, the ‘Pahandi’ of the deity began late at around 3.30 PM instead of the earlier fixed schedule of between 12.30 PM and 1.30 PM and pulling of the chariot which was scheduled to begin at 3.30 PM was delayed and began at 5.23 PM.
According to the Secretary of the Brahman Nijog Biranchi Narayan Pati Lord Lingaraj’s rituals for the annual car festival began two and a half hours behind schedule.
Pati blamed the delay in readying the chariot and the temple administration’s negligence for the delay in the commencement of the chariot pulling.
On the other hand, the Police Commissionerate had made elaborate arrangements for the smooth and peaceful conduct of the annual car festival of Lord Lingaraj.
A total of 15 platoons of policemen, 2 Addl. DCPs, 12 DSP rank officers and 80 officers were deployed for the festival.
