Odisha: Baripada celebrates Rath Yatra, women pull Devi Subhadra chariot

BHUBANESWAR: Rath Yatra was celebrated at Baripada on Saturday, a day after most other parts of the state celebrated the event. There is a unique tradition in the city of pulling the chariot of goddess Subhadra by women only. Every year Baripada celebrates Rath Yatra a day after the event in Puri.
People were excited to take part in the festival and pull the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra after two years. They could not get this opportunity due to Covid restriction on Rath Yatra in the state (except Puri).
After completing the Pahandi ritual, deities were taken to their respective chariots on Friday. But the Raths were pulled by devotees at 3.10pm on Saturday. While chariot of Lord Balabhadra reached the Mausima temple, chariot of Subhadra, which is pulled by women, could not reach on Saturday at its destination (Mausima Temple). It halted midway at Thana Chhak. The devotees will again pull the chariot on Sunday.
Hundreds of women including former minister Sarojini Hembram and Rajya Sabha MP Mamata Mohanta took part in the festival to pull the chariot of Devi Subhadra.
Expecting a huge congregation of devotees, 25 platoons of police force were deployed for the Rath Yatra in the town. District administration had made arrangements for live streaming of the Rath Yatra through YouTube, so that devotees staying outside the town and state can witness the festival.
Shri Hari Baladev Jew temple at Baripada was established in the year 1575 by Mayurbhanj Maharaja Baidyanath Bhanjadeo. Since then, the Rath Yatra is being conducted in this town a day after Rath Yatra at Puri.
“The Rath Yatra was celebrated peacefully on Saturday. All arrangements have been done for the festival. Feel happy to take part in the festival,” said Mayurbhanj collector Vineet Bhardwaj.