By Rajkumar Mohanty
Puri(Odisha), July 12: Over five lakh devotees participated in the Bahuda Yatra (return car festival) of Lord Jagannath here on Saturday and conducted the chariots from Gundicha temple along the 3 km long Bada Danda to the main temple before sunset. The deities were returning to main temple after their nine day sojourn in Gundicha temple.

Early in the morning, temple priests performed Mangal Aarati followed by Surya and Dwarpal Puja. The deities were offered Gopal bhog before the journey. The Daita servitors took about eight hours in the night to fashion the deities with a set of special armours Chhenapatta to bear the stress of the Pahandi.

At about 10.30 am, the Daita servitors took out the holy triads Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath in ceremonial Pahandi procession through Nakachanadwar (exit gate of Gundicha temple) to their chariots parked out side for return journey.

The former Puri King Gajapati Divyasingh Deb came in a decorated palanquin called Tanjan carried by the servitors on their shoulders from his palace at about 1 pm and performed the ceremonial Chhera Pahanra with the gold broom on all the three chariots and completed it 1.50 pm.

The devotees were allowed to pull the chariots after fixing of wooden horses to each chariot. At about 2.15 pm rolled the first chariot Taladhwaja of Lord Balabhadra followed by Darpadalan of Devi Subhadra at 2.45 pm and then Nandighosh of Lord Jagannath at 3.05 pm. The devotees were happy as all the rituals including the Pahandi were conducted as per the schedule. The sky was overcast and a light drizzling cooled the atmosphere.

The administration had taken steps to ensure arrival of all three chariots before sunset and had decided that if necessary pull the chariots under flood light. Fortunately, by 6 pm all the three chariots reached the main temple after observance of Laxminarayan Bheta, a ritual concerning the Lord Jagannath and his concert Mahalaxmi.

On Sunday, the famous Sunavesh of the deities would be observed on three chariots. Hundreds of quintals of gold and precious jewelleries would be used to dress the trinity.