News from Puri

She was accompanied by senior journalist Kishore Dwivedi, her brother Ashok Modi and social activist Arundhati Devi.

The return journey of the deities is popularly called the 'Bahuda Yatra'. Elaborate arrangements have been made for the smooth conduct of the Bahuda Yatra which marks the end of the nine-day sojourn of the deities.

For the return journey, the chariots are turned south toward the Jagannath Temple. So the ritual gets its name ‘Dakshina Moda or southward turn. 

The Dakhina Moda ritual (southward turn) of the three chariots of Lord Jagannath and his siblings parked outside the Gundicha temple in Puri is scheduled conducted today.

During the Nabami Sandhya Darshan, devotees will have the last chance of offering prayers to the deities on the Adapa Mandap as the sibling deities will return to their abode the next day. 

On Friday, Jagannath Sena staged a demonstration in front of Gundicha temple and filed a complaint with the police in connection with the alleged cheating by the online platform.

As per popular belief, one who takes a morsel of ‘Adapa Abhada’ gets virtues of crores of births.

As Lord Jagannath and His siblings are away in the Gundicha temple for their annual nine-day long sojourn and will stay there for a week, the silver cladding work of the Singha Dwara has begun.

In 'Adapa Mandap Bije' ritual, which is observed a day after Rath Yatra, the deities are taken into the ‘Adapa Mandap’ inside the Gundicha temple. In fact, ‘Adapa Mandap’ is considered the birthplace of Lord Jagannath and His siblings. 

Though the chariot of Lord Balabhadra was pulled up to Gundicha temple yesterday, the pulling of chariots of Lord Jagannath and Devi Subhadra had to be halted yesterday.

Scores of devotees got the unique opportunity to have a glimpse of the deities atop their respective chariots for long hours. There was no drop in the energy and enthusiasm among the devotees who got a chance to witness the grand Rath Yatra.

According to sources, a woman devotee reportedly fell down on the grand road during the pulling of Lord Balabhadra’s chariot. Subsequently, a few other devotees stumbled upon each other.

The darshan of Lord and his sibling deities atop their respective chariots is unique and holds significance, particularly for those who cannot have a glimpse of the Mahaprabhu inside the Puri Srimandir.

The importance of 'Chhera Panhara' lies in the fact that Puri Gajapati Maharaja, who is considered as the first servitor of Lord Jagannath, sweeps the chariots of the three deities parked on the Grand Road near Srimandir with a golden broom. 

On the Grand Road, some devotees in the get-up of Hindu Gods like Lord Hanuman and Lord Shiva and some Odissi dancers performing in front of chariots are adding colours to the festival.