Puri: For chariot makers, Rath Yatra must go on

BHUBANESWAR: Neither a pandemic nor a few among them getting infected could deter the carpenters, engaged in the construction of the chariots for the Rath Yatra in Puri on July 12, from putting their best feet forward. Clearly for them, service comes before self.
To keep them protected from Covid-19, the Jagannath Temple administration has arranged for their accommodation, food and other basic facilities at its hotel, Niladri Bhakta Niwas in Puri.
While the construction work of the chariots started on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya on May 15, it is likely to be completed two or three days before the Rath Yatra.
“I do realize the magnitude of the pandemic. While most people have confined themselves to their homes for their safety, we have left the security of our homes to ensure that the construction work of the chariots for the Rath Yatra does not stop,” Bijay Mahapatra, the chief carpenter of Jagannath’s Nandighosh chariot, said.
Rabi Bhoi, another worker at the chariot construction site, said phone is the only medium to remain connected with family members during such trying times. “After the end of the day’s work, I get in touch with my family members over phone or through video call. They are worried about my well-being. But I have been asking them to have faith in Lord Jagannath and that he would bring all of us out of this,” he added.
Every year, nearly 1,000 trees of different species are felled to meet the requirement of 13,000 cubic feet of wood for the making of the three chariots of the sibling deities — Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra. While the Taladhwaja chariot of Lord Balabhadra is 45ft high, Nandighosh of Jagannath is 45.6ft in height and the Devidalan chariot of Goddess Subhadra is 44.6ft high.
Of the 192 people, including carpenters, Bhoi servitors, blacksmiths, painters and other workers required for the construction of the three chariots, seventy nine of them are on the job now. Eighteen other workers could not join the work as they tested positive for Covid.
The district administration said the construction work of the chariots has not been affected following the detection of Covid in 18 workers. “There is no threat to the construction as of now. The work has been going on smoothly. The carpenters, Bhoi servitors and other workers have been joining in phases. Once they join work, they will remain here until the end of of the chariot construction work, which is likely to be over two or three days before the Rath Yatra. So they will be away from home until July 9. We are conducting their RT-PCR tests before allowing them to resume the work,” district collector (Puri) Samarth Verma said.