Puri, Jul 24: The sacred Bahuda Yatra, marking the return journey of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra from the Gundicha Temple to the Shree Jagannath Temple, commenced on Friday with the ceremonial pulling of Lord Balabhadra’s Taladhwaja chariot amid resounding chants of “Jai Jagannath.”

Thousands of devotees are pulling the majestic chariot of Lord Balabhadra, while the chariots of Devi Subhadra (Darpadalana) and Lord Jagannath (Nandighosha) were set to follow shortly. The atmosphere in Srikshetra reverberated with devotional chants, the blowing of conch shells and the beating of traditional drums.

The chariot-pulling ceremony began after Puri Gajapati Maharaja Divyasingha Deb performed the sacred ‘Chhera Pahanra’ ritual, ceremonially sweeping the platforms of the three chariots with a golden broom, symbolising humility and equality before Lord Jagannath.

Earlier in the day, the sibling deities and Lord Sudarshan were ceremonially brought out from the Gundicha Temple during the Pahandi Bije ritual. On the occasion of Bahuda Yatra, the deities were carried in the traditional ‘Goti Pahandi’, in which they are taken to their chariots one after another in close succession, a ritual unique to the return journey.