Puri: The annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath concluded today with the arrival of all three majestic chariots at the Gundicha Temple (Saradhabali), drawing over a million devotees to the streets of Puri. While the sacred journey culminated successfully, significant delays in the movement of Lord Jagannath's chariot sparked criticism amidst an unprecedented surge of pilgrims. 
Following days of elaborate rituals, the chariots of Lord Balabhadra (Taladhwaja) and Devi Subhadra (Darpadalan) led the procession, arriving first at Saradhabali. Lord Jagannath's chariot, Nandighosha, arrived later, completing the divine journey. Throngs of ecstatic devotees packed the route and the temple grounds, spellbound by the sight of the deities atop their towering chariots.
"Witnessing the Lords on their chariots is an indescribable, divine experience. The energy of the crowd is overwhelming," shared a devotee from Bhubaneswar.
However, the journey faced notable delays, particularly for Lord Jagannath's Nandighosha. On Friday, the chariot remained stalled on the Grand Road (Bada Danda) for hours. It finally moved on Saturday morning amidst the resonant sounds of conch shells, gongs, and chants that electrified the atmosphere. Progress remained slow, and Nandighosha only traveled a short distance along the Grand Road towards Gundicha before halting again as night fell, forcing organizers to suspend pulling operations until daylight.
The delays attracted political attention. Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan acknowledged the holdup but attributed it to an extraordinary influx of devotees. "This year saw significantly more devotees than previous years," Harichandan stated. "Many entered the cordoned-off areas, requiring clearance by authorities before the chariots could safely proceed."
Contrastingly, Opposition leader Naveen Patnaik expressed deep concern and disappointment over the excessive delay in moving Lord Jagannath's chariot. "We point fingers at the administration for this delay," Patnaik declared. "We are deeply troubled by such incidents occurring during our state's most sacred festival."
Patnaik also recalled last year's difficulties, including incidents during the Adapa Pahandi procession. "We haven't forgotten last year's unfortunate events. Yesterday, we saw Nandighosha standing near the Lion's Gate (Singhadwara) until 7:45 PM. It only moved a few meters before nightfall. This has completely disappointed and misled the lakhs of devotees who came from across the world," he asserted. He further alleged administrative negligence in crowd management led to hundreds of devotees sustaining injuries.
Despite the logistical challenges, Dr. Arvind Padhi, Chief Administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), declared the sacred Ghosha Yatra (procession to the chariots) on Friday a success. Dr. Padhi extended heartfelt gratitude to all temple servitors, SJTA staff, district administration, police personnel, various government agencies, media organizations, and the millions of devotees for their cooperation in ensuring all rituals associated with the Gundicha Yatra were completed on schedule.
The deities will now reside at the Gundicha Temple for the next nine days before their return journey (Bahuda Yatra) to the Shri Mandir. While the spiritual fervor remains undimmed, this year's Rath Yatra has underscored the immense challenge of managing the ever-growing ocean of devotion that converges on Puri for this ancient spectacle.
Following days of elaborate rituals, the chariots of Lord Balabhadra (Taladhwaja) and Devi Subhadra (Darpadalan) led the procession, arriving first at Saradhabali. Lord Jagannath's chariot, Nandighosha, arrived later, completing the divine journey. Throngs of ecstatic devotees packed the route and the temple grounds, spellbound by the sight of the deities atop their towering chariots.
"Witnessing the Lords on their chariots is an indescribable, divine experience. The energy of the crowd is overwhelming," shared a devotee from Bhubaneswar.
However, the journey faced notable delays, particularly for Lord Jagannath's Nandighosha. On Friday, the chariot remained stalled on the Grand Road (Bada Danda) for hours. It finally moved on Saturday morning amidst the resonant sounds of conch shells, gongs, and chants that electrified the atmosphere. Progress remained slow, and Nandighosha only traveled a short distance along the Grand Road towards Gundicha before halting again as night fell, forcing organizers to suspend pulling operations until daylight.
The delays attracted political attention. Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan acknowledged the holdup but attributed it to an extraordinary influx of devotees. "This year saw significantly more devotees than previous years," Harichandan stated. "Many entered the cordoned-off areas, requiring clearance by authorities before the chariots could safely proceed."
Contrastingly, Opposition leader Naveen Patnaik expressed deep concern and disappointment over the excessive delay in moving Lord Jagannath's chariot. "We point fingers at the administration for this delay," Patnaik declared. "We are deeply troubled by such incidents occurring during our state's most sacred festival."
Patnaik also recalled last year's difficulties, including incidents during the Adapa Pahandi procession. "We haven't forgotten last year's unfortunate events. Yesterday, we saw Nandighosha standing near the Lion's Gate (Singhadwara) until 7:45 PM. It only moved a few meters before nightfall. This has completely disappointed and misled the lakhs of devotees who came from across the world," he asserted. He further alleged administrative negligence in crowd management led to hundreds of devotees sustaining injuries.
Despite the logistical challenges, Dr. Arvind Padhi, Chief Administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), declared the sacred Ghosha Yatra (procession to the chariots) on Friday a success. Dr. Padhi extended heartfelt gratitude to all temple servitors, SJTA staff, district administration, police personnel, various government agencies, media organizations, and the millions of devotees for their cooperation in ensuring all rituals associated with the Gundicha Yatra were completed on schedule.
The deities will now reside at the Gundicha Temple for the next nine days before their return journey (Bahuda Yatra) to the Shri Mandir. While the spiritual fervor remains undimmed, this year's Rath Yatra has underscored the immense challenge of managing the ever-growing ocean of devotion that converges on Puri for this ancient spectacle.
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