PURI: The construction of three chariots for the annual Rath Yatra began on Monday, marking the auspicious Akshaya Tritiya.
Pujapandas of the three deities brought the agyanmallyas (order of the deities) in a grand procession from the Srimandir to the construction yard located along the Grand Road. The three timber logs, symbolic representation of the three chariots, were consecrated by the temple purohit and the Shree Jagannath Temple administration fashioned ceremonial turbans on the three Biswakarmas in a symbolic entrustment of responsibility. Chief administrator Arabinda Padhee, collector Dibyajyoti Parida and SP Prateek Singh were present.
The construction of the three chariots is scheduled for completion within 50-55 days, or a day before the festival. The Rath Yatra is scheduled to commence on July 16. About 100 traditional carpenters would be engaged and work adhering to a scheduled plan to finish the job within the fixed time frame.
The Nandighosha, chariot of Lord Jagannath with 16 giant wheels stands at 13.9 metre, followed by Taladhwaja (13.5 metre) of Balabhadra with 14 wheels and Darpadalana (12.9 metre) of Devi Subhadra with 12 wheels. The three chariots use a total of 872 pieces of timber of various tree species like Asana, Dhaura, and Phasi as per the fixed design, said Bijay Kumar Mohapatra, the Biswakarma of Nandighosha.
Meanwhile, the 21-day summer festival of the deities, Chandan Yatra, began on the day too. Elaborate security measures have been put in place to prevent any fire mishap. In 2024, the festival’s end turned tragic with a firecracker accident.