Trinity back home, rituals delayed by over five hours in Odisha

While the pahandi of the Trinity was supposed to start at 4 pm, it began only at 8.30 pm.

Lord Balabhadra being carried to the temple in pahandi. Photo | Express

PURI: The holy Trinity returned to their abode on Friday, bringing to a close this year’s Rath Yatra, even as the Niladri Bije ritual was delayed by over five hours.

While the pahandi of the Trinity was supposed to start at 4 pm, it began only at 8.30 pm. By midnight Lord Jagannath, His siblings Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra were escorted into the sanctum sanctorum of Srimandir from their chariots in ‘goti pahandi’ conducted by daita servitors. Earlier in the morning, priests performed the daily chores of the deities like mangala alati at 6.55 am followed by abakash, tadap lagi, mailum, rosahoma and surya puja. Gopal bhog was offered to the deities on their respective chariots at around 9.50 am.

Similarly, sandhya dhupa was offered to the deities at 4.25 pm. The servitors then prepared for pahandi by fixing ladders (charamara) to the chariots. The daita servitors started the pahandi at around 7 pm. The processions were led by Gotipua and Odissi dances. The accompanying deities, Madan Mohan and Ramakrishna were first taken into the temple followed by Sudarshan, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and in the end Lord Jagannath. The deities were then made to sit on the Ratnasinghasan at the Garbhagruha. The daily chores of the deities would resume with mahasnan (grand bath) followed by a fresh set of rituals concluding with badasinghar (night dress) and pahuda (sleep) on Friday night. Devotees would be given mahaprasad on the Saturday.

A two-layer security cordon was put in place for the pahandi. Temple chief administrator Arabinda Padhee, collector Siddharth Shankar Swain and SP Pinak Mishra looked after the arrangements.