Devotees Throng Baripada to Catch a Glimpse of Deities Adorned in Gold

BHUBANESWAR, July 19, 2013: Thousands of devotees made a beeline for MausiMaatemple at Baripada on Thursday morning as the sibling deities dazzled in gold ornaments on the last day of their annual sojourn. The ornaments were brought from the district treasury amid tight security for the 'SunaBesha'.

Unlike Puri where the deities are adorned with gold on the chariots after reaching the Jagannath Temple, the pahandi and pulling of chariots here begin after 'Suna Besha', a endowment department official said.

The deities were then taken to the three chariots and all rituals performed. The chariots would be pulled in phases, both on Friday and Saturday. The 12-wheel Subhadra chariot would be pulled exclusively by women .

Source: The Times of India, DT. July 19, 2013.