Puri: The construction work of the chariots for Rath Yara began with cutting of wood on the auscpicious occasion of Akshay Tritiya in Odisha’s Puri town on Friday.
The rituals for starting the chariot construction started with Pujapanda servitor bringing the Agyan Mala (permission from the Lords) to Ratha Khala (workshop for making chariots) after afternoon puja was offered to sibling deities in Jagannath temple.
The sacred logs in the temporary workshop, constructed at a distance from the temple on the Grand Road, were worshipped with “Biswakarma Maharana” tying the holy cloth to those. Then token cutting of the logs was done with gold axe by the servitors.
As per tradition, the construction of Taladhwaja chariot of Lord Balabhadra was started first. It was followed by Nandighosa of Lord Jagannath and then Darpadalana of Devi Subhadra. The Rath Yatra will be celebrated on July 7.
Meanwhile, 21-day Chandan Yatra was started in sacred Narendra tank. Madan Mohan, Shridevi and Bhudevi as representatives of the three Lords were brought in a procession to the holy tank. They were taken in boats to play water sport. Thousands of devotees had turned up at the tank to witness the Chandan Yatra.
