By Our Correspondent
PURI/BHUBANESWAR: As many as four devotees were injured in a stampede-like situation that occurred during pulling of the chariots at Marichikot Chhak on the Bada Danda. The injured persons have been shifted to district headquarters hospital for treatment.
Pulling of the three gigantic chariots by the servitors was started around 3.04 pm. Taladhwaja of Lord Balabhadra was pulled first followed by Darpadalana of Devi Subhadra and Nandighosa of Lord Jagannath. The Pahandi ritual at Shree Gundicha Temple will be held on Wednesday morning.Nearly 12 Lakh devotees present here in Holy town to witness the Festival.
Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Ashwini Vaishnaw visited Puri to witness the Rath Jatra.
Chief Secretary Pradeep Jena, Chief Administrator SJTA Ranjan Kumar Das, District Collector Samarth Verma and others coordinated the entire celebrations.
All rituals, starting from Pahandi Bije of the three deities, to Chhera Panhara of the annual Rath Jatra completed much before the scheduled time and in a very high spiritual atmosphere.
