Puri: Despite relentless rains, lakhs of devotees thronged the Grand Road of Puri on Thursday to witness the ‘Pahandi’ ritual, which formally kicked off the nine-day annual Rath Yatra of the sibling deities of Shree Jagannath Temple.
Amid the resonant beats of gongs, conches, and cymbals, the procession unfolded with great reverence as the idols of Lord Jagannath and his siblings, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra, were ceremoniously carried from the 12th-century shrine to their respective chariots parked in front of the Lion’s Gate.
Following the traditional ‘Dhadi Pahandi’ sequence, the idol of Chakraraj Sudarshan — the divine wheel weapon of Lord Vishnu, worshipped here as part of Lord Jagannath — was brought out first and placed on Devi Subhadra’s chariot, Darpadalan. Lord Balabhadra’s idol was then taken to his Taladhwaja chariot, followed by Devi Subhadra in a special ‘Sunya Pahandi’ procession. The culmination saw Lord Jagannath’s idol emerge, sparking emotional scenes on the Grand Road as devotees chanted “Jai Jagannath” with raised hands in frenzied ecstasy.
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In line with tradition, wooden crosses were fixed to the deities’ backs, thick silken ropes tied aro
und them, and they were adorned with grand floral crowns (Tahiya) offered by the Raghav Das Muttat the northern exit. Servitors carried Sudarshan and Subhadra on their shoulders, while Balabhadra and Jagannath were moved rhythmically through the temple precincts to their chariots. The word “Pahandi” derives from Sanskrit, referring to a slow, step-by-step movement.
Cultural performances by Odissi dancers and folk artistes added to the festive atmosphere.
Puri’s titular Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb is scheduled to perform the traditional ‘Chherapahanra’ (sweeping) of the chariots between 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm. Devotees are expected to begin pulling the chariots at 4 pm toward Shree Gundicha Temple, located about 2.6 km away and regarded as the birthplace of the deities.
Rath Yatra, observed on the second day of the Odia month of Ashadha Shukla, draws millions of devotees annually. This is the only time in the year when the sibling deities leave the Ratna Sinhasana of the main temple.
However, heavy downpour posed a challenge, with Puri recording 233 mm of rainfall in the past 48 hours and more light to moderate rain forecast. The local administration has made special arrangements to drain water from the Grand Road to ensure smooth movement.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi reviewed the preparations earlier in the day, stressing devotee safety and directing officials to tackle water-logging swiftly.
Odisha DGP Y B Khurania said a robust multi-layered security setup was in place, with nearly 13,000 police personnel, 19 IPS officers, and 15 companies of Central Armed Police Forces deployed. Advanced surveillance includes 473 AI-powered CCTV cameras with drone-jamming systems, while joint patrolling by the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, and state police, along with over 500 lifeguards, ensures comprehensive safety.