Puri Rath Yatra: Nandighosa Chariot Halted After Unprecedented Delay; Pulling to Resume Tomorrow

Puri: The world-famous Rath Yatra in Puri witnessed an unusual disruption on Friday as the Nandighosa chariot of Lord Jagannath was halted shortly after it began rolling, following a prolonged delay in its commencement.

For the first time in recent history, the pulling of the chariot started as late as 7:45 PM, as per reports.

The delay was primarily due to a large number of devotees breaching the cordoned-off area meant for the smooth movement of the deities’ chariots. This led to logistical difficulties and forced the servitors to postpone the scheduled rituals and movement, media reports added.

Despite the odds, the servitors, with support from devotees, managed to pull Lord Jagannath’s chariot a short distance to maintain ritual continuity. The chariot was later halted after discussions with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who was informed about the challenges on the ground.

Meanwhile, Lord Balabhadra’s Taladhwaja chariot halted near Market Chhak, while Devi Subhadra’s Darpadalan chariot stopped near Marchikote Chhak.

Chief Administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), Arabinda Kumar Padhee, announced that the pulling of the chariots will resume at 9:30 AM on Saturday, allowing the remaining part of the procession to continue as per schedule.

The unexpected delay and night-time movement of the chariot have raised concerns among devotees and observers, marking a rare deviation in the conduct of the grand annual festival that attracts lakhs from across the globe.