New Delhi: Bahuda Yatra was celebrated at the main Jagannath Temple of the National Capital Region at Hauz Khas village in New Delhi amidst much fanfare and spiritual fervor on Wednesday.
Since the wee hours, all the religious rituals were performed before the trinity – Lord Balabhadra, Lord Jagannath and Devi Subhadra – at the Adapa Mandap at the Basement of the Temple with utmost solemnity by the priests of the temple.
At around 4 pm, the deities were taken in Pahandi procession from the Gundicha Temple to the aesthetically and colourfully decorated chariot stationed in front of the temple. A large number of devotees thronged the place to witness the entire Bahuda Yatra, return car festival.
The whole atmosphere got reverberated with the recitals of hymns, shouting of slogans like Hari Bol, Jai Jagannath and playing of musical instruments like Ghanta, Mardala, Jhanja and Mrudanga by the devotees and servitors. Former Judge of the Supreme Court Justice Arijit Pasayat did the traditional Chherapahanra. Renowned Philanthropist and Secretary of the Temple management Committee Sree Neelachal Seva Sangha Rabindra Nath Pradhan helped him in conduction of the job.
At around 5 pm, amidst the Kirtan and singing of Bhajans and Jananas the chariot was pulled up to Shri Aurobindo Place market on the Shri Jagannath Marg and then was returned to the temple premises.
The deities then remained on the chariot for public viewing for some time before being taken in a procession to the Natyamandap and were placed there. According to the Temple management committee, the deities will remain at Natyamandap till Niladribije on July 1 when they will return to the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine marking the conclusion of the annual Rath Yatra festival.
