Puri: The process for Ratha Yatra-2021 begins today with puja of wood that is to be used for construction of Chariots of Lords this year.
The puja will be held at Badamula, Nayagarh tomorrow.
For carrying this out, a delegation from the Shree Jagannatha Temple Administration (SJTA),Puri, has started its journey for Nayagarh today.
The delegation carries “Mala Maharda” and “Lagi Luga” of the Lord, for this purpose.
According to traditions, this puja is performed at the “Maa Bada Raul Thakurani” at Badmul, Nayagarh. After worship at “Maa Bada Raul Thakurani” the Ratha Katha Amin makes necessary selection of timbers.
Thereafter, collection of wood begins and the first lot of timbers reaches Puri before the Saraswati Puja.
On the day of Saraswati Puja, 03 logs of Dhaura wood are worshiped (Ratha Katha Anukula) at Shree Jagannatha Temple Office, Puri.
On auspicious occasion of Shri Ram Navami, cutting / logging of wood begins at the sawmill at Khapuri, Cuttack, followed by start of construction of the Chariots of the Lords at Bada Danda on auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya.
Usually, Phasi (Anogeissus accuminata), Dhaura (Anogeissus latifolia), Asan (Terminalia tomentosa), Simili (Bombax ceiba) varieties of wood are used to build three Chariots of the Lords.