More than 15 lakh of devotees thronged Puri to catch the glimpse of deities re-embodied after 19 years on chariots on the occasion of Nabakalebar Rath Yatra. Three majestically decorated chariots carrying idols of deities – Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra were towed from Puri temple along the three kilometer stretch of Grand Road on a nine-day sojourn to Gundicha Temple, their aunt’s place.
While Taladhwaja of Lord Balabhadra reached Gundicha temple, chariots of Lord Jagannath and Devi Subhadra stopped midway as it was already sunset. The pulling of chariots of Lord Jagannath and Devi Subhadra would resume this morning at about 8 AM. The Yatra otherwise witnessed smooth festival when five persons were killed in separate incidents, including two women in stampedes on the Grand Road.
