Lord Jagannath returns to his abode

Puri, July 5 (UNI) After a nine day sojourn Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Balabhadra and their sister Devi Subhadra today returned to their abode riding their respective chariots from the Gundicha temple.

The three presiding deities of the 12th century edifice started their return journey in the same style and manner they went on June 27 from their original abode before the Lions gate.

A large number of devotees waited for hours to see the three deities coming out of the Gundicha temple in a ceremonial Pahandi Bije to their respective chariot parked outside the temple.

Soon after Puri Raja Dibyasingh Dev conducted the traditional and age-old ''Chera Panhara''( sweeping the chariots on a golden broom), the chariots started rolling down one after another amid chanting of ''Jai Jagannath and haribol''.

The Daita servitors had spent all the night inside the Gundicha temple preparing the return journey of the deities. The priests performed Mangal arati, Dwarpal pooja, Rosh homa and Surya pooja before offering the deities the gopal and khichdi bhog.

The deities were escorted to their respective chariots one after another and installed on the rathas in ceremonial ''Pahandi'' procession. All the rituals were performed as per schedule as if the Lords were eager to return to their main temple to meet Mahalaxmi.

The wooden horses were fixed to the rathas followed by the long strings of rope. The devotees then pulled the rathas with Taladhwaja the chariot of Balabhadra being the first to roll down the grand road followed by ''Darpadalan'' of Devi Subhadra and lastly lord Jagannath came riding ''Nandighosh''.

The deities after reaching the Lions Gate would spend at least four days on their chariot and enter into the sanctum sanctorum on July 9 night in pahandi procession.

During these days the famous ''Sunavesha''(golden attire of the deities) would be observed on July seven on the chariots and the next day the deities would be offered ''Adhar Pana'' as per the temple tradition before they entered to the sanctum sanctorum of the Jagannath temple.

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