Chariot not pulled in Righagarha

Kendrapara, July 16 (UNI) This year also the chariots failed to roll down Righagarh under Rajnagar block of Kendrapara district as the Jagannath temple authority had not been organising Ratha Yatra.

The locals were deprived of participating in the annual Ratha Yatra and chariot pulling in their areas due to the ''callous and negligent'' attitude of the local Royal family, the sevayats and the devotees to organise the festival at Baladevjew temple in Righagarh.

According to locals, for the past 35 years the chariot pulling of Lord Baladevjew temple had been stopped in the 300-year-old Righagarh temple.

Locals accused royal family of the ''step-motherly'' attitude and the non-cooperation of the devotees and sevayats for it.

When contacted Manaboginda Jena, the trustee of the Kanika Royal family, entrusted to manage the temple, informed that the Ratha Yatra was stopped in 1972 when they found shortage of devotees to pull the chariot.

This year some locals of the nearby areas tried to meet the royal family to restart the car festival, but they failed to contact the royal family members.

The famous Rath Yatra of Lord Baladevjew at Tulashi Khetra of Kendrapara district passed off peacefully here on Tuesday amid much joy and devotion. More than 20,000 devotees from Kendrapara district and its adjoining districts participated in the festival amid the chanting of ''haribol'' and ''hulahuli''.

After completion of Manglarati, abakash, Sakaladhupa of the deities the pahandi of three deities started at 1430 hrs onwards from the sanctum sanctorum.

All the three deities landed up in the Brahma Taladhwaja chariot , said to be the world's biggest chariot on height. The Taladhwaja chariot with 14 wheels and height of 65 feet is considered world's biggest chariot.

The Rath yatra has been observed in Tulashi Khetra, the abode of Lord Baladevjew for the past 400 years. The temple of Lord Baladevjew was constructed in 1670 by the king of Kujanaga.

The Brahma Taladhwaja chariot was stopped near Santha's sadhi pitha. The chariot will be pulled to Mausima mandir tomorrow.

UNI