By Our Correspondent
NAVI MUMBAI/BHUBANESWAR: The Jagannath Temple at Sector Five in Kharghar hosted Annual Car Festival with spectacular fanfare and spiritual fervour. Thousands of Odia and Non – Odia devotees alongwith their family members gathered here to witness the Grand Religious Ceremony. Commencing from the morning all the religious rituals have been performed before the Deities in utmost solemnity and unfettered devotion.
The managing body of the temple, Maharashtra Odia Welfare Association (MOWA), painstakingly ensured that the Festival should pass on in a smooth and steady manner. In the afternoon the Pahandi Bije of the Gods and Goddess started from the sanctum sanctorum. First Lord Sudarshana, then Elder Brother Lord Balabhadra, followed by Devi Subhadra and at the end Lord of the Universe Mahaprabhu Shree Jagannath were taken in a procession to the colourfully decorated chariot stationed in front of the temple.
The entire atmosphere got reverberated with recitals of hymns, shouting of slogans like Hari Bol, Jai Jagannath and playing of musical instruments such as Ghanta, Mardala, karatala, Jhanja and Mrudanga.
President and Trustee of MOWA Dr. Bhagwan Panda conducted the traditional sweeping on the chariot called Cherrapahanra.
The pulling of Chariot began in the afternoon and reached at the Aunt’s house popularly known as Gundicha Mandir in the evening . The Special attraction of the Mega event was presentations of soul soothing Bhajans and Kirtans by the devotees. As per the Temple sources, the Deities will remain in the Gundicha temple for public darshan till Bahuda Yatra on 15th July 2024. At Aunt’s House the Deities were offered delicious Prasad which was later parcated by the devotees present.
The entire arrangements of the Rath Yatra Festival was well managed and smoothly executed under the active and able stewardships of Trustees Dr. Bhagwan Panda, Balaram Patro, B.S. Patnaik, Dr.Manoj Kumar Nayak, Dr.Ketan Gokhale ,B.C. Khatua, G.S. Gill, Capt. S.P. Rao, Bighnaraj Parida, Maguni Raut, P.M. Mahapatra and other members of the Managing committee which include senior advisers led by Dr.Rabinarayan Mishra.
