BARIPADA: A day after the Rath Yatra at Puri, the pulling of chariots of the Trinity commenced at Dwitiya Srikhetra in Mayurbhanj’s Baripada with the participation of thousands of devotees on Wednesday. The car festival of Haribaldev Jew temple is a 13-day affair unlike in Puri where the deities embark on a nine-day sojourn to Gundicha temple. Besides, the chariot of Devi Subhadra is pulled only by women devotees.
On the day, devotees first pulled the chariot of Lord Balabhadra which reached Gundicha temple at 4.10 pm. Subsequently, a large number of women devotees pulled Devi Subhadra’s chariot halfway till Baripada Town police station on the Grand Road. The chariot of Lord Jagannath was stationed in front of the Haribaldev Jew temple.
The pulling of chariots will resume on Thursday. Devi Subhadra’s chariot will be first taken to Gundicha temple followed by Lord Jagannath. Earlier on the day, servitors performed rituals like Abakash, Madhyana Dhupa, and Sandhya Alati and offered bhog to the Trinity before the chariot pulling commenced.
Mayurbhanj SP B Gangadhar said 27 platoons of the police force along with two ASPs, six DSPs, 15 inspectors, 90 sub-inspectors and ASIs were deployed for the Rath Yatra. Besides, two platoons of women's police force were also deployed. Among others, School and Mass Education Minister Sudam Marandi, Eastern Range IG Himanshu Lal and Mayurbhanj collector Vineet Bhardwaj were present.