Dense natural" phasi" forest traced in Orissa

Puri, Feb 25 (UNI) Much to the delight of the Jagannath temple administration, the forest and temple officials have located a number of dense 'Phasi' forest on the banks of Mahanadi in Nayagarh district.

The Phasi timbers are used to construct the giant chariots for the world famous Rath Yatra at Puri.

'' There will be no shortage of the timbers now as the new Phasi forests have been located by the officials. The forest will last for more than a century,'' Jagannath Temple Chief Administrator Suresh Chandra Mohapatra said.

It was a serious cause of concern for the temple management and the forest department for past few years to provide the required size of timbers for the three chariots as the existing Phasi tree population in the state was dwindling.

Earlier, the princely states of Nayagarh, Duspalla and Khandpara used to provide the timbers. Currently, the forest department had been providing seasoned Phasi, Asana and Daura timber logs for construction of chariots.

Of late, the forest department had shown its inability to provide the timbers due to non-availability of desired seasoned trees in the forest.

This forced the temple management to appeal the devotees to donate Phasi timbers for the annual nine day sojourn of Lord Jagannath to the Gundicha temple on the chariots.

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