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As devotion gripped Bada Danda with public participation in the annual Ratha Jatra of the deities in the pilgrim town of Puri after two years, chariots of Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Jagannath arrived at the Gundicha Temple.
At around 1 PM, devotees pulled Lord Balabhadra’s Taladhwaja chariot, followed by Devi Subhadra’s Darpadalana chariot and Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosa chariot.
Earlier in the day, the deities began their 9-day journey to the Gundicha Temple, as Shree Jagannath Temple servants escorted the idols to the chariots in Pahandi ritual.
The pulling of chariots began after Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb performed the Chhera Pahanra ritual.
Lakhs of devotees flocked to Puri to see the deities on Ratha Jatra after being barred from doing so for the previous two years due to the COVID-19 situation.
Tomorrow the deities will be escorted from the chariots to the Gundicha Temple, also known as the Janma Bedi of the Lords.
