JAGATSINGHPUR:The Daru for Lord Jagannath’s new idol was felled at Kharipadia village under Raghunathpur block on Saturday evening.
Earlier in the day, the Swotriya Brahmins completed ‘Mahayajna’ by 1.30 pm and later ‘Purna Ahuti’ ritual was done by the Biswabasu and Bidyapati. Then the gold, silver and iron axes to be used for cutting of the Neem tree were consecrated. As per norms, Swotriya Brahmins handed over the golden axe to Bidyapati, silver axe to Biswabasu and iron axe to Biswakarma after ‘Purna Ahuti’.
Cutting began at 4.05 pm after the Bidyapati touched the tree with golden axe and the Biswabasu with silver axe. The Biswakarma then began cutting the tree with an iron axe amid chanting of 108 names of the Lord. The Daru fell at around 8.14 pm.
The Swotriya Brahmins and Daitapatis who were observing ‘nirjala’ fast (abstention from food and water) since Thursday, broke it after felling of the Daru.
On Sunday, the Daitapatis will collect the log to be trimmed into a specific dimension for making the idol. The remains of the holy tree will be buried in a large ditch dug in the vicinity.
The log, covered with silk cloth, will be carried to the Jagannath temple in a Sagadi - cart made of banyan, tendu and tamarind wood - on May 13.
Meanwhile, forest officials rescued two owlets and one owl from the holy tree after it fell while another owl flew away. The birds will be taken to Nandankanan Zoo in Bhubaneswar on Monday.
Thousands of people continued to throng the village for ‘darshan’ of the Jagannath Daru for the last time before it is taken to Puri.
Free Auto Service
The Raghunathpur Autorickshaw Association on Saturday started providing free auto service to devotees visiting the Daru of Lord Jagannath at Kharipadia. The association members said their passenger vehicles have been stationed at the local railway station, bus stand of Raghunathpur and other public places to ferry devotees to Kharipadia free of cost.