Puri: The stage is set for ‘Ratha Katha Anukula’, the initiation ceremony for chariot construction for Lord Jagannath’s Rath Yatra in Odisha’s Puri, on the occasion of Saraswati Puja or Sri Panchami on Sunday.
While the carpenter servitors of the 12th-century shrine will start the chariot construction work after seeking ‘Agyan Mala’ for the purpose on ‘Akshaya Tritiya’, ‘Ratha Katha Anukula’ marks the beginning of the process.
According to rituals, three pieces of 12-feet long Dharua wood logs will be placed at ‘Ratha Khala’, the designated site for chariot construction, for performing the puja in the evening. Shrotriya Brahmins headed by the temple priest will perform yajna with Nrusingha Mantra in the chariot construction yard to consecrate the timber logs to be used for construction of three chariots.
The worshiped logs will be used for ‘Nrusingha Guja’ in the chariots. Similar rituals are also performed on Ram Navami and Akshaya Tritiya.
Several pieces of logs have already arrived at Ratha Khala in the pilgrim town. Of those, 50 belong to Asana type of trees and 52 to Dhaura trees. The logs, procured from Daspalla forest division, were first taken to Dadaraula Thakurani temple in Nayagarh. After a puja was solemnised for the logs, those were brought to Puri.
According to sources, a total 812 logs of wood will be required for construction of the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devis Subhadra for Rath Yatra. While the temple administration already had 52 logs in store from previous year, the rest arrived in the pilgrim town in phases.
The construction of the chariots will start on Akshaya Trutiya, the third day of the bright fortnight of Vaisakha, with ritual fire worship. This takes place in front of the palace of the King of Puri and opposite the main office of the Puri temple. Several traditional carpenters together construct three giant chariots, Nandighosh of Lord Jagannath measuring 13.9 metres high with 16 wheels, Taladhwaj of Lord Balabhadra measuring 13.5 metres with 14 wheels, and Darpadalan of Devi Subhadra measuring 12.9 metres with 12 wheels, the sources said.
