By Our Correspondent
PURI/BHUBANESWAR: Amid religious enthusiasm and excitement, the construction of chariots for this year’s Rath Yatra of Shree Lord Jagannatha started on the occasion of Akshaya Trutiya in Odisha’s Puri city on Sunday. The chariot construction began soon after the priests consecrated the three logs by reciting hymns.
The day also marked the beginning of the 21-day Chandan Yatra of Lord Jagannath at Narendra pond in the pilgrimage City.
As per the tradition, three logs were placed at Rath Yard in front of the SJTA office in Puri and the priests performed a Yajna to mark the beginning of the chariot construction work.
Soon after the completion of the Yajna, the ‘Agyanmala’ of the sibling deities were brought from Srimandir in a procession and handed over to three carpenters (Vishwakarmas) authorizing them to build the chariots.
