By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR: 46th Bahuda Yatra Festival celebrated at the main Jagannath Temple of the National Capital Region at Hauz Khas village in New Delhi amidst pious atmosphere and spiritual fervour. Commencing from the wee hours in the morning all the religious rituals were performed before the Trinity at Adap Mandap inside Aunt’s House at the Basement of the Temple with utmost solemnity by the priests of the temple.
At about 4.00 p.m. the Four Deities were taken in Pahandi procession from the Gundicha Temple to the aesthetically and elegantly decorated chariot stationed at the Grand Road in front of the temple. The whole ambience got reverberated with the recitals of hymns, shouting of slogans like Hari Bol, Jai Jagannath and playing of musical instruments like Ghanta, Mardala, Jhanja and Mrudanga by the devotees and servitors.
At about 4.30 p.m. Chief Guest of the return of the Chariot Festival Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan and Guest of Honour Former Judge of the Supreme Court Justice Arijit Pasayat did the traditional Chherapahanra. Secretary of the Temple management Committee Sree Neelachal Seva Sangha Rabindra Nath Pradhan helped them in performing the job. Shri Pradhan’s wife Mridula Pradhan and Former Secretary of Temple Committee Duryodhan Pradhan were present. At around 5.00 p.m. amidst the Kirtan and singing of Bhajans and Jananas the chariot was pulled till Shri Aurobindo Place market in the Shri Jagannath Marg and then was returned back to the temple premises.
The view of the Trinity in a majestic style from atop the Royal Chariot during their sojourn on the street of Delhi was momentous and mesmerising. After completion of the return Journey, the Deities remained on the chariot for Public viewing. In late night all the Four Deities were taken in a procession to the Natyamandap and were placed there. As informed by the Temple sources, Deities will remain at Natyamandap till the date of Niladribije on 19th July 2024.
The entire arrangements of Bahuda Yatra were smoothly conducted by the office bearers and members of Temple Managing Committee, which include President Bighneshwar Rout, Secretary Ravindra Nath Pradhan,Adviser Advocate Abani Sahu, members Abhaya Pradhan, Ashok Pradhan (A), Khirod Patra, Gajendra Samanta, Abhiram Sutar, Ashok Pradhan (B), Jitendra Mohapatra, Ajay Pradhan, Pankaj Mohanty, Nishidha Kumar Das, Rankanidhi Sahoo, Bijay Sahoo, Dillip Kumar Swain, Kishore Samal, Amulya Ojha, Sukanta Sahu, Manager of the Temple Rashmiranjan Behera, Assistant Managers Sashikanta Sahoo and Sanjiv Jena and Preists Sanatan Padhi, Debabrata Mishra, Jagabandhu Dash, Premananda Satpathy, Santosh Panda and Prashant Dash.
