Odisha: Age, Covid no bar for 90-year-old chariot maker in Puri

BHUBANESWAR: Neither the Covid-19 pandemic nor old age could stop 90-year-old Krushna Chandra Maharana from the divine service of constructing chariots for July 12 Rath Yatra in Puri. Krushna Chandra is the chief carpenter of goddess Subhadra’s Darpadalana chariot and the oldest of the 198-odd workers engaged in the construction of the three chariots at Ratha Khala, the construction yard.
With a vast experience of more than 70 years, Maharana is no less than an asset for the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration. Without his direction and guidance, the chariot will never look complete and elegant, the SJTA believes.
“I started learning the skills of constructing chariots from my father, Ramachandra Maharana, at the age of around 19 or 20. It runs in the family. I have been part of the construction of chariots, without fail, for the last 70 years,” Krushna Chandra said.
Despite the invasion of modernity, neither Krushna Chandra nor other carpenters at Ratha Khala use any modern technique or instrument for the construction of the giant wooden chariots. They have perfected the art of measuring the wood through traditional and manual handspan.
The height of the Taladhwaja chariot of Lord Balabhadra is 45ft and has 14 wheels, Nandighosha of Jagannath is 45.6ft with 16 wheels and Darpadalana of Goddess Subhadra is 44.6ft with 12 wheels. According to tradition, the carpenters use 742 pieces of wooden logs of different species for the construction of Jagannath’s chariot, 731 logs for Balabhadra’s chariot and 711 logs for Subhadra’s.
“We never use the latest or modern gadgets. We still believe in our handspans and a few sticks for the measurement of the wood. By God’s grace, we have not failed. Any slight deviation in the measurement of wheels or any other parts of the chariots may lead to accidents or breakdowns. We are very careful about this,” Maharana said.
His four sons — Narayan, Rabinarayan, Babana and Chhabi— too have taken up the chisels. They have been part of the Rath construction for the past several years under the tutelage of their father.
The SJTA expressed its gratitude to the master craftsman. “Without using any modern instruments, his markings for measurements have been perfect year after year. After more than 70 years of continuous service, his energy levels and enthusiasm can more than match that of an 18-year-old,” SJTA’s chief administrator Krishan Kumar said.