Unlike Puri Rath Yatra, pulling of chariots began at Baripada on Monday only. Amidst the participation of about 50,000 devotees, pulling of chariots of lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra passed off quite smoothly and peacefully.
While Balabhadra’s Taladhwaja Rath began its journey at about 2.35 pm and reached its destination of Mausibadi at Radhamohan Mandir at about 4.15 pm, Maa Subhadra in her Darpadalan Rath began her journey at 4.40 pm and,like every year, covered half-way only. She stopped in front of the local Bada Bazaar Town Police Station at about 5.35 pm. While the Taaladhwaja Rath was pulled along by devotees belonging to all sections of the society, the Darpadalan, in line with the tradition being followed here since 1975, was taken along by women devotees only. On Tuesday, while Maa Subhadra will complete her Monday’s incomplete journey, lord Jagannath’s Nandighosh Rath will be the last to roll out and shall cover the whole path to the Mausi Maa Mandir in a single day, amidst the chanting of ‘Jay Jagannath’ by thousands of devotees.
While on Monday, Police DIG Ghanasyam Upadhyay, SP R Prakash, ADM Gangadhar Nayak and Sub-Collector Sarat Kumar Purohit took part in pulling the Taladhwaj and MP Sarojini Hembram in pulling of the Darpadalan, many more VIPs also are expected to participate on Tuesday pulling as well.