KENDRAPARA: With the Rath Yatra of the Baladevjew Temple at Ichapur, scheduled for July 16, the temple authorities have sought technical assistance from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar to ensure the safe construction and smooth movement of the temple’s 67-foot-tall chariot.
Construction of the massive 14-wheeled chariot, Bramahataladhwaja, is currently underway under the guidance of engineers and professors from the School of Mechanical Sciences at IIT Bhubaneswar. The move comes after last year’s Rath Yatra witnessed a major setback when four wheels of the chariot were damaged, causing it to tilt while being pulled by devotees.
Temple executive officer Balabhadra Patri said the incident prompted the administration to seek expert guidance from the IIT this year. “To prevent any mishap during the festival, we are constructing ten new wheels and repairing four old ones after taking all necessary precautions,” he said.
A team of IIT Bhubaneswar engineers recently visited the temple and inspected the ongoing construction. Assistant professor Manas Ranjan Pattnayak advised the carpenters to use only fresh timber for the chariot. He pointed out that, unlike the chariots of the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, which are built entirely with new wood every year, the Baladevjew Temple has had to reuse some timber because of a shortage of quality wood.
The IIT team also identified problems along the 2-km stretch between the temple and the Mausima Temple, stating that uneven curves on the road could hamper the smooth movement of the chariot. They recommended that the road be repaired before the festival.
Of the 14 wheels, 10 are being newly constructed, while four from last year’s chariot are being repaired and reused due to the shortage of quality timber. Around 45 carpenters have been engaged in the construction work since May 1, and the temple authorities expressed confidence that the chariot will be ready well before the Rath Yatra.
Patri said around 2,700 cubic feet of sal and other timber has been procured from the Forest Department and other sources. However, about 4,000 cubic feet of quality timber is required to build the chariot. “Due to the non-availability of sufficient new timber, we are compelled to reuse wood from last year’s chariot for certain portions of the Rath,” he said.