Puri: In a major step, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) said on Thursday that the wheels of three sacred chariots used in the annual Rath Yatra of the sibling deities of the 12th century shrine in Odisha’s Puri will be sold this year.
In order to streamline the process and ensure smooth conduct of the exercise, a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has been issued by the administration.
Apart from the wheels of the three chariots, other articles such as Prabha, Guja, and Asuari will also be available for sale. Interested devotees can submit their applications by November 10.
As per the new SOP, a non-refundable application fee of Rs 1,000 has been fixed for participation in the sale process. While the price of each wheel from Lord Balabhadra’s chariot is Rs Two lakh, Devi Subhadra’s wheel is Rs 1.5 lakh, and Lord Jagannath’s wheel is Rs three lakh. Application forms are available with the SJTA office in Puri.
Officials said this initiative of SJTA aims to preserve the sanctity of the wooden structures while offering devotees a rare chance to own a piece of the divine heritage.
It may be noted that in a symbolic gesture of tradition, the SJTA had earlier presented one of Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosha chariot wheels to Deuli Math at Kakatpur in Puri district. The wheel reached Deuli Math on October 28.
After the divine relic had reached Deuli Math, locals, devotees, and members of the intellectual community expressed joy and reverence, viewing it as a spiritual honour for Kakatpur. The sacred wheel was ceremoniously taken in a grand procession accompanied by sankirtan groups.