Puri: The Grand Road in Puri transformed into a sea of humanity on Friday as lakhs gathered to escort Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra from Gundicha temple, revered as the deities’ birthplace, to their abode at Shree Jagannath Temple during Bahuda Yatra.Braving heat and high humidity, devotees lined up at Bada Danda from early morning, waiting for an opportunity to pull the three towering chariots — Lord Balabhadra’s Taladhwaja, Devi Subhadra’s Darpadalana and Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosha — even as sources said more than 50 devotees fainted, and a few others sustained minor injuries during the pulling of the chariots. They were promptly shifted to Puri district headquarters hospital (DHH), where they were administered necessary medical treatment before being discharged. State health minister Mukesh Mahaling visited the DHH and reviewed the medical arrangements.The ceremonial Pahandi procession, meanwhile, commenced ahead of schedule, and the return journey began with the pulling of Lord Balabhadra’s Taladhwaja chariot around 4.30 pm as chants of ‘Hari Bol’ and ‘Jai Jagannath’ reverberated through the pilgrim town.Shree Jagannath Temple Administration chief administrator Arabinda Kumar Padhee said all rituals associated with the Bahuda Yatra were conducted according to the schedule drawn up by the temple administration. The festivities began with the traditional ‘Goti Pahandi’, during which servitors ceremonially carried the sibling deities from the Gundicha Temple to their respective chariots stationed outside.Puri’s titular king, Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, performed the ceremonial ‘Chhera Pahanra’, the sweeping of the chariots with a golden broom, between 2.30 pm and 3.30 pm. Although the pulling of the chariots began about 30 minutes behind schedule, officials made up for the lost time as the procession progressed. “All the rituals progressed smoothly today. We had held several coordination meetings with all stakeholders involved in the Bahuda Yatra, which ensured that every ritual was conducted without any disruption,” Padhee said.Meanwhile, a thick security blanket has been thrown around the pilgrim town for the Bahuda Yatra. Earlier in the day, two fake servitors were identified by Padhee and handed over to police. Dressed in traditional attire, they had climbed atop Lord Balabhadra’s and Lord Jagannath’s chariots.Law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said preparations for the Suna Besha would begin after the three chariots reached the Shree Jagannath Temple, adding that the ritual is expected to draw an even larger crowd than the Rath Yatra. “The govt and Shree Jagannath Temple Administration have made elaborate arrangements for the Suna Besha. We appeal to all devotees to maintain discipline and cooperate with the authorities to ensure a smooth and safe darshan,” he said.CM Mohan Charan Majhi and leader of the opposition Naveen Patnaik greeted devotees on the occasion. The deities are scheduled to enter the sanctum sanctorum of the Shree Jagannath Temple on July 27.
