Rath Yatra was reduced to a symbolic affair in Jagannath temples of Koraput, Baripada and Kendrapara as the festival was observed on the shrine premises without participation of devotees on Monday.In Koraput, a handful 10 servitors carried out all rituals of the car festival in strict adherence to Covid norms in the Jagannath temple, also known as Sabar Srikhetra. At dawn, the sevayats performed Mangal Arati and took the Agyanmallya from Goddess Bimala to start preparations for the nine-day sojourn of the Trinity.
After performing the Dhadi Pahandi, servitors took the deities to the chariot stationed inside the temple premises and conducted the necessary rituals. In accordance with the age-old tradition, the bhog of Sabar tribe from Kandapali village under Nandapur block, was offered to the Trinity. Members of the tribe are said to be scions of Biswabasu Sabar who was the first sevak of Lord Jagannath. Dasi Nayak, a tribal, performed the Chhera Pahanra ritual before the chariot was pulled inside the temple campus symbolically. The Trinity was later taken to the temporary Gundicha temple behind the Jagannath temple. Temple management committee head Gadadhar Parida was also present during the festival.
Similar low-key celebration was witnessed at at Haribaldevjew temple in Mayurbhanj’s Baripada, popular as Dwitiya Srikhetra. Only the necessary Rath Yatra rituals of the Trinity and Lord Sudarshan were performed inside the temple by servitors. The Grand Road wore a deserted look as the district administration had imposed section 144 around the temple premises. Jayanta Tripathy, a servitor, said after Mangal Arati and Abakash, khichdi, arisha pitha and dahi were offered to the Trinity at Nata Mandap inside the temple.
Due to the Covid curbs, Pahandi was not carried out this year. “Last year, the Pahandi and some other rituals were performed on the direction of Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati of the Gobardhan Peeth. However, no such direction was received from the Shankaracharya. Only the daily rituals were performed inside the temple,” he informed.
In Kendrapara’s Baldevjew temple, also called the Tulasi Khetra, the rituals of Rath Yatra were performed by priests inside the shrine in a symbolic manner.Rath Yatra at Jagannath temples in Talcher and Angul was also held inside the shrine premises without participation of devotees. Police personnel were deployed at both the temples to ensure that no devotee enters the shrines. The car festival was a subdued affair at Balaram temple.
All the rituals were performed inside the temple premises in strict adherence to Covid guidelines. In view of the prevailing Covid situation, Odisha government had banned Rath Yatra at all Jagannath temples across the State except Puri’s Srimandir.