Puri: The three chariots of sibling deities will be given south turn called ‘Dakshina Moda’ and parked in front of Nakachana Dwar, the exit gate of Shree Gundicha Temple, facing west, in Odisha’s Puri town on Friday.
This marks the beginning of the preparations for Bahuda Yatra, the return journey of the deities to Shree Jagannath Temple after their nine-day annual sojourn, on July 15.
According to sources, agyaan maala of deities will be brought to respective chariots after Sakala Dhupa (morning Puja and Prasad Offering). The chariot of Goddess Subhadra, Darpadalan, will be first turned towards the south. It will be followed by Lord Balabhadra’s Taladhwaja and Jagannath’s Nandighosh. The wheels of the chariots are oiled and checked before they are turned.
On Thursday, Hera Panchami ritual was conducted during which Goddess Laxmi expressed her anger towards Lord Jagannath by damaging his chariot, Nandighosh, for not taking her along.
The Lords embarked on their annual journey on July 7 and the Rath Yatra spanned over two days. They were taken to the Adapa Mandap of Shree Gundicha Temple on July 9 evening.
On arrival at Simhadwar on July 15, the deities would stay on the chariots and give darshan to devotees in ‘Suna Besha’ on July 17. They would be offered ‘Adharpana’ on July 18 before being escorted to the sanctum sanctorum in ‘Pahandi,’ called Niladri Bije on July 19.