Trinity Lord Begin Return Journey After 9 Day Sojourn In Gundicha Temple
Puri (Odisha), July 9: After spending their 9 day sojourn in the Gundicha temple, Lord jagannath, his elder brother Lord Balavadra and sister Devi Subhadra on Saturday began their return journey to their original abode Sri Jagannath temple, known as “Bahuda Yatra”.
The ceremonial pahandi of the deities from the sanctum sanctorum of the Gundicha temple to their respective chariots parked before the Gundicha temple commenced after necessary rituals and nitees which started early in the morning.
As soon as the three presiding deities came out of Nakachana dwar (exit gate of Gundicha temple) one after another swinging their floral tiara “Hariboland Jai Jagannath rented in the air by thousands of devotees who have converged at the three kms long Grand Road, the venue of the Return Car festival.
After the deities installed in their respective chariot,Puri King Gajapati Dibya Singh Dev riding on his palanquin will come to the chariots from the palace to conduct the “chherapahanra”( sweeping the chariots with a golden broom) and offered prayers .
After the Chherapahanara was completed the three chariots will roll on the Grand road one after another.
The servitors would fix the wooden horses to the Taladhwaj, the chariot of Lord Balabhadra which will be rolled out first followed by Darpadalan rath of Devi Subhadra and finally Nandighosh rath of Lord Jagannath .
On return journey lord Jagannath will wait near the king’s palace for performance of “Laxminarayan bhet” ceremony. As per tradition Mahalaxmi was peeved over being left out in the pleasure ride to aunt’s house by Lord Jagannath who took his elder brother Lord Balavadra and sister Subhadra
Under a conducive weather on Friday lakhs of devotees had darshan of the lord Jagannath his elder Balabhadra and sister Subhadra in the sanctum sanctorum of Gundicha temple on the occasion of “Sandhya darshan”,considered as the most auspicious.
Belief goes that whoever witnesses the deities in Baman avatar atop the “ratnasimhasan of Gundicha temple and takes Mahaprasad gets salvation.
“BahudaYatra”(return car festival) is the end part of the grand festival for that all the three chariotsb were given a south turn (dakshin moda) and parked at Saradha bali in front of the Nakachana dwar (exit gate) of the Gundicha temple.
Elaborate security arrangements have been made for smooth conduct of the Return car festival.
The temple administration and the district administration have made special security arrangements for Sunavesh ( Golden attire) of the deities on Sunday and “Adharpana” (offering of a special Juice to the deities ) on Monday and finally the Niladri Bije on Tuesday when the three presiding deities would return to the sanctum sanctorum of the Sri Jagannath temple,their original abode.
With UNI Inputs….
