After a full squad of Banajaga members arrived at Kharipadia, the preliminary rituals for performing a yajana started near the Shree Jagannath Daru site on Thursday.
The Swatriya Brahamans conducted ‘Bhumi Sodhan’ (Purification of land) where the neem tree and Yajan Mandap exist followed by other religious customs for carrying out the Yajana.
The ‘Ankuraropan’ ritual began on Thursday evening. Then the Daitas gave a holy bath to the neem tree treated as holy Daru with 108 pots of river water. The Swatriya Brahamans began Mandalakarana on the Yajana Mandap as per tradition. Surya Puja, Dwarapala Puja and Baruna Puja will be conducted on Friday morning. The Yajana will continue from Friday to Saturday. After the Purnahuti which will mark its conclusion, the chopping of the neem tree will commence, informed Samantshree Narasingh Mohapatra who leads the Yajana team members.
Septuagenarian Mohapatra revealed that all through the Yajana day the Daitapatis will chant Patal Nrusingha Mantra while Brahamans will conduct 700 Ahutis in the Yajana. The Brahamans and Daitapatis would remain on fast till the Daru was cut.
The Brahamans would hand over the golden axe to Bidyapati, silver axe to Biswabasu and iron axe to the Biswakarama servitors for felling the Daru, Mohapatra informed who is serving as Acharya for the Yajana.
Given the rich flow of devotes to the site, 10 platoons of police forces have been pressed in to service, district SP Sudha Singh said.