BARIPADA: The chariots of Lord Jagannath and Devi Subhadra reached Mausima temple in Baripada on Monday. Lakhs of devotees took part in pulling the chariots.Darpadalana chariot of Devi Subhadra reached Mausibadi near Radhamohan temple at 3.30 pm. Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosa rolled down the Grand Road at 4.15 pm and reached the destination at 5.42 pm.
As has been the custom here, Devi Subhadra’s chariot was pulled by women while Lord Jagannath’s chariot was pulled by both men and women including Collector Vineet Bharadwaj, SP Avinash Kumar, Morada MLA Praveen Bhanjdeo, Mayurbhanj ADMs and Baripada Municipality Executive Officer. As compared to Sunday, there was a mammoth gathering of devotees on the Grand Road to take part in the festival.
Apart from Rath Yatra, the town is famous for Haribaldevjew temple, which was built by Maharaja Baidyanath Bhanja in 1575 AD. The temple is a symbol of religious fervour of the Bhanja rulers of Mayurbhanj, regarded as ‘Queen Monad’ among the princely States before it was merged with the Indian Union.