Jagannath chariot arrives aunt's house

Baripada,July 18 (UNI) Braving rains and inclement weather thousands of pilgrims, a majority of them tribals dressed in their traditional attire, today pulled the chariot of Lord Jagannath to its destination at the Gundicha temple.

Amid rhythmic sound of gongs, blowing of conch shells and beating of cymbals the ''Nandighosh'' chariot of Lord Jagannath reached the Gundicha temple on the third day of the rath yatra.

Earlier in the afternoon, the chariot of Goddess Subhadra locally known as ''Devidolona'' or ''Vijoya'' was pulled exclusively by the women devotees from the town police station to Gundicha temple.

Subhadra is the ''pride of the place'', Sri Ma Mahila Mahavidyalaya Principal Kalpana Sarangi said adding that we were no longer required to jostle with our male counterparts to pull the Vijaya - Goddess Subhadra's chariot at Baripada.

'' We are proud that this unique empowerment came to the women of Baripada in 1975 - the year that was globally observed as the International Women's Day'', said Kanakanjali Ghosh, Headmistress of a primary school at Baripada.

Baripada rath yatra has turned to be a role model in the country as the tradition of women pulling the chariot of Goddess Subhadra was introduced first in the town,she added.

According to age-old custom, the ''Pahandi'' (ceremonial installation of the deities on the three massive chariots were performed on Monday last. While the actual pulling of the Chariots were carried out in phases over the next two days (Tuesday and Wednesday) following the day of Pahandi.

The''Taladhwaja'', the chariot of Lord Balabhadra yesterday led the ceremonial procession and reached the Gundicha temple. This was followed by the pulling of the chariot of Goddess Subhadra that stopped near the town police station and resumed its journey today.

The last to roll was ''Nandighosh'', the majestic chariot of Lord Jagannath that marked the culmination of the three-day long Gundicha Yatra with the Lord's arrival at the aunt's house.

UNI