The Indian Railways renders a very essential service in facilitating smooth running of the three chariots on the Badadanda during the Rath Yatra in Puri. Every year a team of East Coast Railway accompanies the chariots with equipment to assist in removing any obstacle from their forward path. A team of 40 devoted staff of the mechanical department are assigned with the task. Legend has it that in the early 1960s, one of the chariots got entangled with an electric pole resulting in damage to its axle. Senior officials became clueless and confused on what was to be done. Incidentally, a Railway officer was present to witness the Car Festival.
He found an analogy with that of restoration during coach derailment. He suggested doing it by using screw jacks and offered help voluntarily from the Railways. It is since then that the East Coast Railways has been rendering the service every year. An experienced team of 40 staff from Railways actively participate to place the chariots side by side by lifting and shifting to its position using traversing jacks.
All the jacks are placed at different places under the axle and operated simultaneously for lifting and shifting of the chariots. About 30 traversing screw jacks (12 for “Nandighosh '', 10 for “Taladhwaja” and 8 for “Debadalana”) are used for the purpose.
On the day of Car Festival, the team escorts the chariots during its journey from Shreemandir to Shree Gundicha Temple covering 3 km to attend any breakdown. On the 5th day of the ceremony (Hera Panchami), all the three chariots are reversed and placed at Nakchana Dwar (exit gate of Shree Gundicha Temple) for the preparation of the return journey. On the day of Bahuda, the team escorts the chariots during its journey from Shree Gundicha Temple to Shreemandir.
On arrival at the Lions Gate, the chariots are placed side by side in proper position for “Suna Besha”. Each chariot is shifted for 6 to 8 ft to position them properly. This is entirely done by this team from Railway led by a Senior Section Engineer of the Mechanical department of the Puri Coaching Depot.
(The writer is Chief Public Relations Officer, East Coast Railway)