The 21-day-long annual summer water sport festival Chandan Yatra of lord Jagannath began here amid tight security on Friday (Akshay Tritiya) evening.
The lord’s representative image Madanmohan and his consort lakshmi, accompanied by ‘Panch Mahadevas’ (five Shivas), enjoy the boating in the huge Narendra Tank to beat the scorching summer heat for three weeks everyday from the Akshay Tritiya.
As per the schedule, Madanmohan and his associates began their pleasure trip from the temple in six separate palanquins along the Grand Road (Bada Danda) to the huge Narendra Puskarani situated about 1.5 km from the temple. The deities on board the decorated palanquins were carried over the shoulders of a special set of servitors known as Biman Badus. The temple musicians recited notes of Gita Gobinda and Odishi bhajans. The youths of various Jaaga Ghars (schools of martial arts) accompanied the deities displaying their skills. The rhythmic body movements of the palanquin bearers in concert with swinging of the top half of the palanquins, particularly of Madanmohan’s called Maniviman, is a rare treat for the devotees. The deities on their arrival at the tank were treated with sandalwood paste and aromatic water bath for cooling effect. The deities were taken in procession to their respective boats. The deities moved about the tank till late in the evening and returned to the temple in the same manner and style in which they had gone. This scene will be repeated everyday during the Chandna Yatra period. On completion of 21 days, the concluding ceremony, Bhaunri will be observed with a display of fireworks and music extravaganza.