Bhubaneswar: One devotee died and four others were injured in a stampede during the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, his elder Lord Balavadra, and their sister Devoi Subhadra of Sri Jagannath temple in this pilgrim town on Sunday.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has announced an ex gratia of Rs.4 lakh to the next kin of a devotee who died during a stampede.
Majhi expressed his deep grief over the death of a devotee who has been identified as Lalit Bagarti from Saintala in Bolangir district.
The Chief Minister also expressed condolences to the bereaved family members and directed the district administration to provide free treatment to the injured devotees.
Sources said a stampede took place near the Hindi school on the Grand road as there was a mad rush among the devotees to pull the Taladhwaja chariot of Lord Balavadra.
Bagarti and a few others fell on the ground in the stampede and they were immediately rushed to the district headquarters hospital where the doctors declared Bagarti as dead.
Four others also injured in the mishap were admitted to the hospital.
Odisha Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling and the secretary for health went to the district headquarters hospital (DHH) and met injured persons.
Two of the injured women are in serious condition, Mahaling told media persons. He said the injured will be provided free treatment.
The health secretary said three persons were declared dead by the doctors at the hospital during the day adding that the cause of their death will be known after the post mortem.
He said over seven hundred persons came for treatment on Sunday to the District Headquarters hospital and most of them were suffering from breathing issues and dehydration.
Several people came from the sea beach area and most of them were released after first aid while 250 persons, mostly women, were treated in the hospital.
Local MLA Sunil Mohanty and Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari also visited the hospital and interacted with doctors and patients and their relatives.
Droupadi Murmu witnesses Puri Rath Yatra
President of India Droupadi Murmu, amid tight security, witnessed the grand event from a specially erected stage, circumambulated the three chariots, and initiated the pulling of the Taladhwaj of Lord Balabhadra and the Darpadalan chariot of Devi Subhadra.
This is the first time the country's president has participated in the Puri Rath Yatra.
This year's Rath Yatra is considered special due to a rare star conjunction, as per the temple almanack, which fell after 53 years. It reduced the Anasar period from fifteen to thirteen days, resulting in the “Netra Utshav," “Nabajouban Vesha," and Rath Yatra, the three important rituals, being observed on a single day on Sunday.
Odisha Governor Raghubar Das, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, two Deputy CMs Pravati Parida and Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, and many cabinet colleagues of the Chief Minister also witnessed the festival.
Lord Balabhadra, the elder brother, began the journey riding the Taladhwaja chariot at 4:50 PM, followed by sister Devi Subhadra in her Darpadalan chariot at about 6:00 PM. The Nandighosh chariot of Lord Jagannath started rolling at about 6:45 PM, a few metres from the main gate of the temple.
The chariots of Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra rolled down the Grand Road but stopped near Marichikot Chhak and Raj Palace, respectively, when the pulling of the chariots was suspended to be resumed on Monday morning.
The Odisha government had declared Monday a state government holiday as the temple administration had announced that this year the chariots would be pulled on Sunday and Monday.
Earlier, as soon as Lord Jagannath came out of the Simhadwar (main gate of the temple) in the Pahandi procession, swinging his giant floral tiara atop his head, devotees chanted religious hymns while "Hari bol," "Jai Jagannath," and "Huluhuli" filled the air. The devotees jostled to catch a glimpse of Jagannath in Pahandi. The sky was thick and overcast, and the humidity was very high.
As per the schedule, priests began the daily chores of the deities at 4:00 AM by performing Mangal Arati, Mailum, Abakash, Surya Puja, Rosa Homa, dressing the deities in new clothes suitable for the journey, and offering Khichdi Bhog.
Thereafter, the deities were escorted to Pahandi by the Daita servitors. Lord Balabhadra, the elder brother, was taken in Pahandi to his Taladhwaj Rath first, followed by Devi Subhadra to her Darpadalan Rath, and Lord Jagannath to his Nandighosh Rath.
The Pahandi procession was led by traditional temple musicians playing cymbals, ghantas, mridang, conch shells, and bugles, while Odissi dancers added more colour to the procession.
As a result of the timely performance of all rituals, the scheduled time for Pahandi was advanced by more than two hours. Considering the observance of three rituals today, the Pahandi, which was scheduled to commence at 1:10 PM, started at 11:10 AM and was completed by 2:20 PM.
Then Puri Shankaracharya Swami Neeschalananda Saraswati, accompanied by his disciples, came from Gobardhan Peeth and offered prayers to the deities on the chariots.
Gajapati Dibyasingh Dev came in a decorated palanquin from his palace and performed Chhera Pahanra (sweeping around the deities with a golden broom) on the three chariots. This ritual was completed by 4:40 p.m.
After fixing wooden horses to the Taladhwaja chariot of Lord Balabhadra, devotees were allowed to pull it by 4:50 PM. Then Devi Subhadra, on her Darpadalan Rath, rolled down the grand road, followed by the Nandighosh chariot of Lord Jagannath. The holy town was under unprecedented security cover for the president’s visit.
(Inputs from UNI)
