PURI: A day after getting green signal from the Union Home Ministry, as many as 200 carpenters began construction of chariots for the Rath Yatra on Friday. The construction work was started under the guidance of three Biswakarmas (chief carpenters of three chariots) in the Ratha Khala (construction yard) located in front of Sri Jagannath temple office on the Grand Road. 

After getting the nod of the Central Government on Thursday evening, District Magistrate Balwant Singh convened a meeting with the three Biswakarmas - Bijay Mahapatra of Nandighosha Rath of Lord Jagannath, Nrusingh Maharana of Taladhwaja Rath of Lord Balabhadra and Krushna Chandra Maharana of Darpadalana Rath of Devi Subhadra and members of the temple managing body.

The Biswakarmas agreed to expedite construction work to meet the deadline. They formulated a new schedule under which carpenters would work from 9 am till 10 pm in the night under lights to make up the delay. As per the Central Government directive, the prescribed social distancing norm would be maintained in the construction yard which has been barricaded and covered. No one will be allowed to go near the yard. 

Temple public relation officer LD Pujapanda said the persons engaged in construction of the chariots would be tested for Covid-19 and only those found negative would be allowed to work in the yard.
The temple administration has made provisions for the stay of carpenters in Bhaktanivas (the temple hotels) where they would be provided with food and other basic amenities. They would be provided transport from Bhaktanivas to the construction yard. Adequate security personnel will be deployed near the construction yard. 

Biswakarma Bijay Mahapatra said the Ratha Anukula ritual was performed inside the temple complex on the occasion of Akshya Tritiya on April 26 but the schedule has been delayed by 11 days. “We have a huge task at hand and if the Lord wills, we will be able to complete the job in time. On Friday, we sliced the timber logs to carve out the hubs of wheels and shaped a few axles. Work on all the three chariots was started simultaneously,” he said. 

As per tradition, three sets of wheels should be fixed on the axles of the three chariots during the ‘Bhaunri’ ritual which is performed after the 21-day Chandan Yatra of the Trinity comes to an end. This year, the Bhaunri ritual falls on May 17. “We are racing against time to meet the target. Besides carpenters, blacksmiths, roopakaras and darzis (tailors) are also working overtime to complete the work in time,” Mahapatra added.