Puri, Jul 17: The Gundicha Yatra in Puri reached its final stage on Friday as Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosha chariot arrived at the Gundicha Temple, completing the sacred journey of the Holy Trinity during the annual Rath Yatra.

Earlier in the day, the chariots of Lord Balabhadra (Taladhwaja) and Goddess Subhadra (Darpadalana) had also reached the Gundicha Temple, drawing the two-day procession to a successful conclusion amid chants of "Jai Jagannath" by thousands of devotees.

The ceremonial pulling of the three towering wooden chariots began on Thursday afternoon. However, the procession was halted for the night after the scheduled pulling extended beyond the traditional time limit. The chariots were secured at different points along the rain-soaked Bada Danda (Grand Road) before the journey resumed on Friday morning.

On Thursday, Lord Balabhadra’s Taladhwaja halted near Market Chhak, Goddess Subhadra’s Darpadalana stopped at Marchikote Chhak, while Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosha covered only a short distance before the day's procession concluded.

The chariot-pulling resumed shortly after 9:30 a.m. on Friday, with thousands of devotees enthusiastically pulling the massive wooden chariots towards Saradha Bali, where the Gundicha Temple is located.

The Adapa Bije ritual, during which the sibling deities enter the sanctum of the Gundicha Temple for their week-long stay, is scheduled to be performed on Saturday.

Advanced Braking System Enhances Safety

To ensure the safety of devotees during the procession, all three chariots were equipped with an advanced waterproof braking system, an upgraded version of the innovative mechanism introduced in recent years.

The safety system is designed to control the movement of the over 40-tonne wooden chariots, especially during sudden stops or on slippery roads caused by rain.

Before the braking mechanism was introduced, the chariots had no reliable system to halt once they gained momentum, posing significant challenges during the procession.

The braking technology was originally developed by retired engineer Ashwini Kumar Mishra, who designed a simple yet highly effective system using Sal wood logs, specially cut rubber straps, and a chain-and-pulley mechanism. The upgraded waterproof version has further improved operational safety, helping ensure the smooth and secure conduct of one of the world's largest religious processions.