Hectic preparation for return car festival

Puri, Jul 10 (UNI) The administration has geared up preparation for the return journey of the presiding deities of Jagannath temple, more popularly called ''Bahuda Yatra'', slated for next Saturday.

Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Balabhadra and sister Devi Subhadra came on a nine-day sojourn to the Gundicha temple riding three chariots on July four last.

It took almost two days for hundreds of men to pull the three chariots to park at the exit gate known as ''Nakchana Dwar'' of the ''Gundicha temple by giving them ''Dakshini moda'' (south turn) to give a final shape for the return journey.

The holy city had been bustling with pilgrims and tourist-related activities.

The high profile religious gurus of various sects and cults had been camping in the city along with their followers.

Their presence in the festival could be marked for their distinct dress colour and insignia.

The gurus were holding religious discourses in big hotels, while traditional saints and sadhus were seen camping under the banyan trees around ''Dhuni''(burning of fire in a special place) reciting bhajans.

The administration had initiated certain steps to ensure arrival of the three chariots at the lions gate area of the main temple on the ''Bahuda yatra'' day to facilitate observance of ''Sunavesh'' of the deities on their respective chariots on Sunday next.

It had been resolved in the temple body that if in normal condition the chariots could not reach the lions gate, it would be pulled under floodlight after sunset as it was necessary to observe the ''Sunavesh'' of the deities on the 13th day, the day following ''Bahuda''.

UNI XC-DP SJC RN1953