After its nine-day journey from Kharipadia at Raghunathpur in Jagatsinghpur district, the Daru of lord Jagannath reached here and was taken to its ultimate destination, the Koili Baikuntha inside the Shree Jagannath Temple, in the morning on Friday. With this, the Banajaga Yatra, which had begun on March 29, for the July Nabakalebar of the deities came to an end. Earlier in the day, thousands of devotees pulled the Daru Sagadi (cart carrying the holy wood) of lord Jagannath from the Yajna Nrusingha Peeth at about 8.30 am.
The Sagadi was later taken to the Singhadwar (lion’s Gate) of the temple from where it was taken to the Uttar Dwar (Northern Gate) via the Paschim Dwar (Western Gate). The Daru was finally carried to the Koili Baikuntha after the temple servitors performed the stipulated rituals and amid full-throated cries of “Jai Jagannath” and beating of cymbals and mridangas.
The district administration had made elaborate security arrangements with deployment of five platoons of police for smooth conduct of the Sagadi Yatra of the lord. The Sagadi, which had begun its journey from Kharipadia on May 14, arrived at the Yajna Nrusingha Peeth from Biragobindapur on Thursday night. To welcome the Daru, women devotees were seen laying Jhoti on the Bada Danda (Grand Road) since early morning.