Puri, Jul 5: Amid enthusiastic chants of 'Jai Jagannath', 'Haribol' and beating of cymbals, pulling of three majestic chariots began at 2:45 PM as the holy trinity culminated their nine-day sojourn, much ahead of the schedule.
Although the chariot pulling was scheduled to begin at 4 PM, it commenced early at around 2:45 PM, well ahead of the planned time.
Thousands of devotees, gathered for the return car festival, started pulling Lord Balabhadra's chariot 'Taladwaj' after Gajapati Maharaja Divyasingha Deb performed 'Chhera Pahanra' (sweeping) rituals.
As per reports, the ceremonial ‘Pahandi’ rituals began at the Shree Gundicha Temple at around 10:10 AM, around two hours earlier than the scheduled time of 12 noon, and concluded at around 12:30 PM.
Thereafter, the 'Chhera Pahanra' ritual, which involves sweeping the chariot floors with a golden broom, began at 1:35 PM by Gajapati Maharaja Divyasingha Deb.
He first carried performed the ritual on Lord Balabhadra's Taladwaj chariot, followed by Lord Jagannath's Nandighosha chariot, and finally on Devi Subhadra's Debadalana chariot.
