Bhubaneswar: Lord Jagannath and his siblings are all set to embark on their journey to Srigundicha temple for a nine-day sojourn on the occasion of Ratha Jatra at Odisha’s Puri town on June 27 (Friday).

The Nabajouban Darshan and Netrostav rituals of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra were performed at the 12th century shrine today. Thousands of devotees visited the temple to have a glimpse of the deities on the eve of the Ratha Jatra.

As per Srimandir tradition, the three deities catch fever soon after a ceremonial bath on the Snana Bedi of the temple on the occasion of Snana Jatra. They undergo herbal medication for 14 days at the Anasara Gruha of the shrine and reappear before the devotees on the occasion of Nabajouban Darshan, a ritual which the precedes the Ratha Jatra.

The Puri district administration and the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration have made elaborate arrangements for the smooth organisation of the annual mega event.

The servitors of the shrine today brought the three wooden chariots--Nandighosa, Taladhwaja and Darpadalan--of the sibling deities to the Lions’ Gate of Srimandir from the Ratha Khala (yard) at the Holy Town.

Rath 2

As per the schedule, the Pahandi Bije ritual—the grand procession of the deities from the temple to their respective chariots—will begin at 9.30 am tomorrow (Friday) and continue till 12.30 pm.

Gajapati King Dibyasingha Deb will perform the Chhera Pahanra (ceremonial sweeping) ritual on the three chariots from 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm.

The pulling of chariots on the Grand Road is scheduled to commence at 4 pm. As per the tradition, Lord Balabhadra’s Taladhwaja chariot is the first one to begin its journey towards the Srigundicha temple, followed by the Darpadalan chariot of Devi Subhadra. Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosa chariot is the last one to roll on the Grand Road during the festival.