Bhubaneswar: The world-famous Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath and his divine siblings kicked off today with the sacred Pahandi Bije ritual in the holy town of Puri.
Amid surging waves of devotion, the deities were ceremonially brought out of the 12th-century Shree Jagannath Temple and escorted to their majestic chariots in a grand procession. The Pahandi ritual started slightly ahead of the scheduled time, accompanied by the resonant beats of traditional instruments such as ghanta and kahali.
Following centuries-old customs, the Pahandi Bije ritual began with Chakraraj Sudarshan being carried out and placed on Devi Subhadra’s chariot. Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra followed, with Lord Jagannath brought out last in the traditional Dhadi Pahandi style.
Following the completion of the Pahandi ritual, Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati, along with his disciples, will offer puja to the holy siblings on the chariots. Later, Puri King Gajapati Maharaja Dibya Singha Deb, the first servitor of the Lord Jagannath, will offer prayers to the deities and conducts the ceremonial sweeping of the chariots with a golden broom.
After this service offered by the Puri King, the chariots are pulled by devotees to the Gundicha temple, the birthplace of Lord Jagannath, around 3 km away from the main temple.
Lakhs of devotees from across the country and overseas thronged the streets, creating an unforgettable atmosphere of faith and celebration.
As the deities moved forward, the air filled with enthusiastic chants of ‘Jai Jagannath’ and ‘Hari Bol’, while devotees danced joyfully in reverence. After the completion of the sacred ritual, Lord Jagannath was seated on the Nandighosha chariot, Lord Balabhadra on Taladhwaja, and Devi Subhadra on Darpadalana. The deities are now set to embark on their sacred journey to the Shree Gundicha Temple, with thousands of devotees expected to pull the three magnificent chariots along the Grand Road (Bada Danda) in processions.
