Mishap before Ratha Yatra: Axle of Goddess Subhadra’s chariot breaks

Puri: With all in readiness for the grand Ratha Yatra of Lord Jagannath and his siblings in Odisha’s Puri on Sunday, the front axle of Darpadalana– Goddess Subhadra’s chariot– broke last evening.

In order to prevent further damage, the broken axle has been tied with iron chain, reports said.

After the incident came to fore, Puri Collector and Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) officials rushed to the spot.

The district administration and SJTA have decided to install a new axle and remove the broken one.

“The axle might have broken under the pressure of the chariot. The repairing work will be completed before the Ratha Yatra. It will be over by today,” said Chief Maharana of Nandighosh chariot, Bijay Mohapatra.

“A technical committee comprising chariot experts and senior engineer of PWD is reviewing the matter. It will submit a report on the basis of which steps will be taken,” said SJTA chief administrator Pradeep Jena.

“The chief engineer of the Works department is examining the incident. Not only Darpadalana, all the three chariots will be checked,” said Works Secretary Nalinikanta Pradhan.

Meanwhile, fresh wood reached the Ratha Khala (chariot construction place) today and process for making a new axle started, informed Artatrana Ratha, member of the chariot construction committee.

On the other hand, there are reportedly some problems in the Chari Nahaka (four pillars) of Taladhwaja, chariot of Lord Balabhadra, and clamp has been fixed to it.