BHUBANESWAR: Among the lakhs of devotees who gathered at the Grand Road on Tuesday, Narasingha Das and his wife Purnabashi of Berhampur were an uncommon sight.
Carrying a beautiful doll decked up with flowers and jewellery in their arms, the couple took turns to show her to the Trinity seated atop the chariots and seek blessings for her. “She is our daughter and we call her Radha Rani and Laadli,” said Purnabasi.
The couple, which is blessed with two sons, said they adopted Radha Rani from Vrindavan in 2019.
“Our family elders had told us that our life is incomplete without kanyadaan. So during a visit to Vrindavan, we decided to bring Radha Rani home. She has been an integral member of our family since then,” said Narasingha.
This is the third year they have brought Radha Rani to Rath Yatra. “Since the Srimandir reopened after the Covid pandemic, we bring her to the temple once every two months,” he added.