Even though the Rath Yatra of lord Jagannath was observed at different places
in the silk city here on Saturday with much religious fervour, death of a youth under the wheels spread shockwaves among denizens.
Thousands of devotees thronged the Gosaninuagaon Jagannath Temple, Pataleswar Jagannath Temple at the Utkal Cinema Road, Bada Bazar Jaganath Temple, Courtpeta Jagannath Temple, Khaspa Street Jaganath Temple, First-Gate Trimurtee Temple and the Utkal Ashram-Palur Bunglow Jagannath Temple at Brahmanagar to participate in the Rath Yatra.
As many as ten platoons of police personnel were deployed in the city to control law and order during the occasion.
Devotees in large numbers had visited these temples for Nabjauban Darshan or Netrotsav, a traditional pre-requisite to Gundicha Yatra, on Friday.
In Courtpeta Jagannath temple, the age old tradition of pulling the chariots by women was followed.
After Pahandi, Cherra Pahanra (sweeping of Rath floors) started after 2 pm on all Raths.
Gong and cymbal playing troupes and Bhajan and Kirtan Mandalis from various parts of Ganjam district participated in the car festival.
The deities would stay in their aunt’s house (Mausima Ghar), the Shree Gundhicha temple, for nine days till Bahuda Yatra to be held on July 27.
At the Gosaninugaon Jagannath Temple, temple management chief Panchanan Choudhury performed Cherra Pahanra with a golden-quoted broom stick. Brahmapur DIG of Police Amitabh Takhur and MlA Dr Ramesh Chandra Chyau Pattnaik joined the event. Here, the Rath of Devi Subhadra was pulled by women divotees in the presence of Deputy Collector Ipsita Mishra.
Similarly, women pulled the chariot of lord Subhadra of Courtpeta Jagannath temple.
At the Bada Bazar Khaspa Street Jagannath Temple, Cherra Pahanra was performed by Mahuri Raja Ashoak Kumar Narendra Dev. lord Jagarnnath is worshipped alone here.
Similarly, the Rath of the Brahmanagar Third lane moved through Brajanagar and Brahmanagar to reach the Gundicha temple. Here the temple is located at lawyer Arjuna Patro’s house. The Patro family members with cooperation of local residents have been observing the Rath Yatra for over a decade now.
However, the Ghosh Yatra festival here witnessed a tragic incident in lanjipalli under the BNPur police circle. A 29-year-old man, Jagannath Reddy of lakshminagar, came under the wheels of the running Rath and was severely injured. later he died while undergoing treatment at the MKCG Medical College Hospital here.