9 Lakh Devotees Partake in Bahuda Yatra

Puri, Jul 18, 2013:  Around nine lakhs devotees thronged Puri  today for the Jagannath Return Car festival (Bahuda Yatra).

The deities of Sri Jagannath, elder brother Balabhadra and their sister Devi Subhadra were brought back to the Jagannath temple in three decorated chariots pulled by lakhs of devotees from Gundicha temple. 

On the eighth day of the car festival, all three chariots  were given a south turn called Dakshin Moda and parked in front of Nakachana Dwar the exit gate of the Sri Gundicha temple facing west. 

Lakhs of devotees thronged the city and  queued up in front of the temple gate to have a darshan of the deities.

This morning, after offering of Gopal Bhog and Khichidi, the servitors escorted the three idols in ceremonial pahandi procession after the observance of a complex set of rituals like mangal arati, surya pooja, dwarpal pooja and rosha homa. 

Source: India TV, DT. July 18, 2013.