By Our Correspondent
VISAKHAPATNAM: The Annual Car Festival was celebrated at the Jagannath Temple situated in the scenic hills of Dasapalla in Visakhapatnam with spectacular fanfare and spiritual fervour. Commencing from the morning all the religious rituals have been performed before the Deities in utmost solemnity and pure devotion.
Unusual enthusiasms and unprecedented excitements were witnessed among the 5,000 devotees congregated during the occasion to take part in the Grand Ceremony. The managing body of the temple, Utkal Sanskrutika Samaj painstakingly ensured that the Festival should pass on in a smooth and steady manner.
Around 3.30 p.m. in the afternoon the Pahandi Bije of the Gods and Goddess started from the sanctum sanctorum. First Lord Sudarshan, then elder Brother Lord Balabhadra, followed by Devi Subhadra and at the end Lord of the universe Lord 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 Haribol, Jai Jagannath and playing of musical instruments such as Ghanta, Kartala, Mardala, Jhanja and Mrudanga. President of the Managing Committee of Shree Jagannath Temple Jitendra Kumar Nayak conducted the traditional sweeping on the chariots called Cherrapahanra.
At around 4.00 p.m. in the afternoon pulling of Chariot began from Dasapalla hills and reached the Aunt’s house at Lawson’s Bay Colony covering the distance of nearly 5 km. The special attractions during the Mega Event was recitals of popular folk music and presentation of dance performances by cultural troupes from Odisha. After the conclusion of Yatra the Idols were taken to the Aunt’s house and were placed in the pandal. The Deities will remain at the Gundicha Temple till the Bahuda Yatra on 15th July 2024 and will be available for darshan for general public from there. This year’s Festival was actively supported by Marwadi Yuva Manch and Punjab Association.
The entire arrangements of Rath Yatra were well managed and smoothly executed by the active supervision of the authorities of Temple’s Governing Body which include President Jitendra Kumar Nayak, General Secretary Bimal Kumar Mahanta, Vice President Dr Karunakar Padhi, members Bijay Mahapatra and Rajendra Prasad Sahu, Banamali Sahu and Arun Das.
