PURI: The Akshaya Tritiya festival, which marks the beginning of the 21-day Chandan Yatra and construction of the three chariots for the annual Rath Yatra of the Holy Trinity, was observed in the Sri Jagannath Temple complex on Sunday.

The district and temple administration has selected two separate places in the temple for the rituals. While Chhamundia (sun shed) was raised near the Snan Mandap located in the Anand Bazaar for Ratha Anukul (construction of Raths) ceremony, the Chandan Yatra is being observed near Rohini Kunda (small water body). Another kunda has been constructed to accommodate the deities participating in the fete.

At around 3 pm on the day, three priests brought separate ‘ajnamallyas’ from the deities after offering Madhyana bhog and handed those over to three Biswakarmas (chief carpenters) for starting construction work of the chariots. Nine ‘srotriya’ Brahmins performed a yajna at the construction site.

Biswakarmas then hammered axes on the timber logs while brahmins performed yajna chanting hymns. Earlier on Saturday evening, three 12 feet long timber logs to be used in the Rath Anukul ceremony were brought to the construction site.

At around 4.30 pm, servitors brought images of Ramakrishna followed by Madanmohana, the representative idol of Lord Jagannath, Sri Devi and Bhudevi from their respective seats to the Rohini Kunda in palanquins while the Panch Pandavas were escorted to the site by Biman Badu servitors.
They were placed in Chandanghar, an enclosure where all the deities were covered with sandal wood paste, given aromatic bath and offered Mandua as bhog. Two small wooden boats symbolising Nanda and Bhadra, the two huge swan-shaped vessels used in Narendra tank, were floated in the two small Kundas to mark the Chandan Yatra. After an hour, the deities were escorted into their respective seats by the servitors.

Usually, the deities enjoy boat rides for 42 days during Chandan Yatra. While 21 days are spent in Narendra pond, the rest half is observed inside the temple in Rohini Kunda, called ‘Bhitar Chandan Yatra’. This year, the entire 42-day period will be observed in the temple complex.

The administration ensured strict adherence to the social distancing norm and use of masks during the rituals. No one was allowed inside the temple except servitors and officials on duty.