PURI : With the government leaving nothing to chance after the gross mismanagement of Rath Yatra, which led to loss of three lives in a stampede, and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi himself taking the reins, the Bahuda Yatra (return journey) of the Holy Trinity was conducted smoothly in Puri on Saturday.
Shaken by the series of untoward incidents, the administration meticulously planned the Bahuda event, revamping traffic arrangements and the command and control centre to effectively manage the crowd. The government engaged with the servitors to perform all rituals on time, including the conduct of the pahandi (ceremonial procession of deities).
As a result, the pahandi was completed by 12.30 pm, two hours before the scheduled time. The Chhera Pahanra ritual was performed by Puri king Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb on the three chariots and completed by 2.40 pm, one hour ahead of schedule.
The chariot pulling was scheduled for 4 pm, but the first Taladhwaja rath of Lord Balabhadra rolled out at 3 pm. The sky was thickly overcast, and it was drizzling all through the day. Over half a million devotees converged at Badadanda (Grand Road) and participated in the pulling of the chariots to the Jagannath temple.