Puri Rath Yatra: Damaged parts of chariot wheels replaced

Puri: Construction work of the three chariots for the upcoming annual Rath Yatra in Puri resumed after wheels and axles with defects were replaced with new ones.

On Saturday, members of the chariot construction engineering committee had noticed crack in a wheel of Devi Subhadra’s chariot Devadalan, a big hole in the Nandighosh, the chariot of Lord Jagannath and also found the axle of Taladhwaja, chariot of Lord Balabhadra, weak.

Soon after, the Maharanas built new wheel for Devi Subhadra’s chariot and also replaced axle of Nandighosha besides changing the 40-feet long ‘Dhaura Katha’ of the Taladhwaja chariot.

Since the wheels and axles will be attached to the chariots tomorrow on occasion of ‘Bhaunri Jatra’, the Maharana servitors have been making extra efforts to complete the process. However the servitors have expressed displeasure over frequent replacement of chariot woods as per the suggestions of the construction engineering committee.

The Biswakarma of Devadalan chariot Narayan Maharana said, “If engineers point out at the about defects after assembling is done it would not only be problematic but also delay the construction work.”

“We generally do not have any clue about the kind of wood used till we begin to slice them. Only after that we come to know about the defects and qualities. Now a days we are not getting good quality wood for chariots so if we just keep on choosing them over one another, it would only delay the process of construction,” said chief constructor (Mukhya Maharana) of Taladhwaja chariot.

Meanwhile, it is learnt the entire construction process of the chariots will be monitored by an inspection committee. It will help in providing logs of wood if defects are noticed and also ensure that the rituals of chariot construction are carried out on time.

“The administration is ensuring that all the works are completed as per the tradition in a disciplined way,” Sudarsan Mekap, senior supervisor of chariot construction committee said.

A total of 168 ‘Pahis’ or arcs for 42 wheels are needed for the three chariots.

Last year, just three days before the annual Rath Yatra, the axle of Devi Subhadra’s chariot had broken down and had to be repaired on a war footing.