‘Katha Chirat’ (milling of logs) for the upcoming Ratha Yatra of Lord Jagannath started as per tradition on the auspicious occasion of Shri Ram Navami on Wednesday.
As per reports, the log sawing began in the sawmill of the Forest Department at Khapuria in Cuttack after members of the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee reached there with the Agyamal (ordained garland). The work began after rituals were performed. The planks of wood will be used for the construction of chariots of the Holy Trinity– Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra.
Jitendra Kumar Sahu, administrative officer of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration said, "The milling of logs meant for chariot making began on Ram Navami as per tradition.”
Sources said, around 812 logs are required for chariots. In the first phase, the sawmill received 450 logs of different species – like Phasi, Simili, Asana, Dhaura, Rai and Mai.
The logs would be milled from 6am to 9 am every day. As many as 30 staffs have been engaged in the milling work.
Ashok Kumar Kar, a sawmill staffer said, "Like previous years, saw-milling of the logs will be done. The processed wood will be shifted to Puri in time so that chariot construction can be done smoothly.”