Puri: After spending their nine-day sojourn in the Gundicha temple, Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Lord Balavadra, and their sister Devi Subhadra returned to their original abode riding on their respective chariots on Wednesday.
The return journey known as the "Bahuda yatra" (return car festival) of the lords began about three hours ahead of schedule amid tight security.
The ceremonial pahandi of the deities from the sanctum sanctorum of the Gundicha temple to the chariots commenced this morning.
As soon as Lord Jagannath came out of Nakachana dwar (the exit gate of Gundicha temple) swinging his floral tiara Haribol, Jai Jagannath and Huluhuli rented in the air.
After the three presiding deities were installed in their respective chariots, Puri king Dibyasingh Deb came to Gundicha temple riding his "Tanzaan" and conducted the
Chherapahanra( sweeping the three chariots with a golden broom).
The servitors fixed wooden horses to the Taladhwaj, and the chariot of Balabhadra, which rolled out first, followed by the Darpadalan rath of Subhadra and the Nandighosh rath of Lord Jagannath, started the return journey.
All the three chariots started rolling one after another in the presence of lakhs of devotees who had converged at the three-kilometre-long Grand Road, popularly known as "bada danda ".
All the three chariots moved smoothly on their given tracks along the Badadanda. On way the three deities would bake cake (Poda Pitha) while the chariots would stop at Mausima temple.
On the way, Lord Jagannath had to wait near the king’s palace for the performance of the "Laxminarayan bhet" ceremony. As per tradition, Mahalaxmi was peeved over being left out on the pleasure ride to her aunt’s house while Jagannath took his sister Subhadra along with his elder brother Balabhadra.
Puri King Dibyasingh Deb, the foremost servitors of the deities, conducted Mahalaxmi from the temple gate in a procession close to the Nandighosh rath, where Mahajan servitors performed the conciliation proceedings between Mahalaxmi and Jagannath.
All three chariots would reach their destination before the sun set on Wednesday and would be parked in front of the Lion’s Gate. Surprisingly, there was no rain on Wednesday, and the weather was clear.
The famous Sunavesha (golden attire) of the deities would be observed on the chariots on Thursday, and the administration expected the presence of lakhs of devotees to witness it.
On Friday, the trinity will be returned to the Ratna Vedi inside the sanctum sanctorum of Sri Jagannath temple on Pahandi Bije by the temple servitors. (UNI)