PURI, INDIA, July 15, 2024 (The Hindu): Thousands of devotees pulled the chariots of sibling Deities — Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra — on the Bahuda Yatra or return car festival on July 15. Though the pulling of chariots was slated to start at 4 p.m., it began ahead of schedule amid chants of Jai Jagannath and the beating of cymbals. Devotees started pulling Lord Balabhdra’s chariot Taladwaja at 3:25 p.m. and Devi Subhadra’s Devadalan at 4 p.m. Pulling of Lord Jagannath’s chariot Nandighosh began at 4:15 p.m. The chariot pulling started after Puri’s titular king Gajapati Maharaj Divya Singha Deb performed cheerapahanra, a ritual during which he swept the three chariots with the help of a golden broom by sprinkling sacred water.

The Deities left the Jagannath temple on July 7 during the Rath Yatra and reached Gundicha temple, considered Their birthplace. They stayed there for a week and are now returning to the Jagannath temple. This journey is known as the Bahuda Yatra. Earlier, the trinity was ceremonially taken to Their respective chariots from the Gundicha Temple in the presence of hundreds of thousands of devotees. The Deities will remain seated on the chariots in front of the Singha Dwar (Lion’s Gate) of the 12th-century shrine on Monday night. The Sunabesha (golden attire) ritual, in which the Deities are decked in gold jewelry, will be performed on chariots on July 16.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/odisha/rath-yatra-lord-jagannath-temple-car-festival-gundicha-temple-pahandi-lord-balabhadra-devi-subhadra/article68405751.ece

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