Indus Valley Times

BY AKSHYA ROUT

 JAJPUR, JULY 7: The longest journey of chariot covering 11 kilometers from Chatia to Badaghumari in Jajpur district . This is thelongest journey of the chariot in the state and it took five days to cover 11 kilometers.

 Large numbers of people pulled chariot for five days on the occasion of annual Rath Yatra. Flagged off by the chief priest of the temple Upendra Ojha on Sunday afternoon amidst chanting of hymns, the Rath wound it’s way on a 11-km-long route through the national highway no- 5 and congested village roads.

 The chariot halted at many places and large numbers of devotees worshipped the Lord Jaganath, Balabhadra and Subhadra. ” Earlier, the authority had denied us the permission for the chariot to cover 14 kilometers due to bad condition of road .

 But in 1999, the authority for the first time allowed the temple management committee to pull the chariot covering 14 years after the authority constructed and widened the village road “, said Upendra Ojha the president of the managing committee of the temple.

 A huge crowd thronged the temple and then joined the procession as it began its journey under the watchful gaze of police personnel who had spread out through the journey routes including the national highway no- 5. “The villagers and the managing committee members of the temple cleaned the village roads for the smooth journey of the chariot.

 In the past, chariot struck at some places due to poor condition of the road . 42  year old Queen  Aparna Bhir Singh Bharadwaj  swept the floor of the wooden chariot  as part of rituals associated with the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Gadamadupur .

 Hundreds  of villagers and others from nearby areas were present when   she  was  sweeping the floor of the Rath. Dressed in royal dresses, the Queen  reached the chariot to perform Chhera Paharna .

Throughout the “ Chhera Pahanra” rituals, the husband  and daughter of Aparna  watched the proceedings with keen interest. The 15 minute long  ritual  captivated many as they watched her  sweeping the floor. “Our ancestor Udaya Karna Singh came from Rajasthan to Gadamadhupur in the 16th century .

 My father Raja Birabara Krunshaprasad died  15  years back leaving behind me and my younger sister. As per the royal tradition I  became the queen after the demise of my father for which I  did chera pharana  “, said Aparna Bhir Singh Bharadwaj the present queen of the royal family who lives with her  daughter princess Ridhika in the palace.Dharamasala MLA Himanshu Sekhar Sahoo is likely to attend Rath Yatra In Dharamasala .

He Said “May Lord Jagannath showers you with all the love lavishly and you be surrounded with a lot of energy and intensity along with harmonious relations. Have a great Rath yatra, Jai Jagannath!”.