Puri: The Pahandi Bije ritual of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra for the annual Rath Yatra this year was performed at around 9.15am Monday, a senior official source informed.
However, the ritual was scheduled to be completed by 11.30am.
According to the official source, the Pahandi Bije of Lord Balabhadra began at around 7.15 in the morning, Goddess Subhadra at around 7.25am and that of Lord Jagannath at around 7.35am.
Servitors of the Jagannath temple in Puri escorted the idols of the three deities from Ratna Singhasan up to their respective chariots – Taladhwaja, Darpadalana and Nandighosa – as per the temple’s age-old traditions, in a ceremonial procession called Pahandi.
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Puri Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb offered his service to the three Lords. Gajapati performed the traditional Chhera Pahanra (sweeping rituals) atop the three chariots. The distinctive ritual has much socio-religious significance, which is followed by pulling of the three chariots.
PNN