Puri: Gajapati Maharaja of Puri Dibyasingha Deb performed the ‘Chhera Pahanra’ ritual of sweeping the floors of the chariots of Lord Jagannath and his siblings before the pulling of the chariots by devotees on Friday.
On the occasion of Rath Yatra, the titular king of Puri clad in a white attire and carried in a silver-plated palanquin, reached the chariots stationed outside the 12th century shrine. He then swept the floors of the three majestic chariots using a broom with a golden handle, as priests chanted Sanskrit slokas and sprinkled flowers and fragrant water. He also performed ‘aarti’ to the deities and ‘Chamer’ seva.
Gajapati Maharaja is considered as the first servitor of Lord Jagannath and therefore he performs the ‘Chhera Pahanra’ ritual, which is also part of the ‘Rajaniti’ .
The ‘Chhera Pahanra’ ritual is also performed by the Gajapati on the occasion of Debasnana Purnima and Bahuda Yatra .
The Gajapati first offered prayers at Lord Balabhadra’s chariot ‘Taladhwaj’, then Lord Jagannath’s ‘Nadighosh’ and finally Devi Subhadra’s ‘Darpadalan’.
As per traditions, the titular king of Puri is informed about the deities having taken their places on the chariots through a messenger specially deputed by the temple officials.
As per the temple records, the emperors of Orissa, beginning with Anantvarman Chodagangadeva in the 12th century, had declared themselves to be the “Rauta” of Lord Jagannath and ruled the land as his representative.
After cleaning of the chariots or ‘Chhera Pahanra’ by the titular king and his departure to the palace, the wooden horses painted in brown, black and white are fixed to the three chariots and pulled by devotees.
