Report by Suchismita Sahoo; Puri: The Bahuda Rath Yatra  passed off peacefully in Puri on Firday. Huge number of devotees turned up at Puri to witness Bahuda Yatra of the deities of Jagannath temple.

More than 7 lakh pilgrims turned up on the Grand Road to participate on Bahuda Yatra, the return journey of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra. On Friday the shrine servitors escorted the deities in the ceremonial 'Pahandi' procession after the observance of several rites like 'Mangal Aarti', 'Surya Pooja', 'Dwarpal Pooja' and 'Roshan Homa'. The deities came out of the sanctum sanctorum of the Gundicha temple after taking 'Gopal' and 'Khichdi' bhogs. The ceremonial pahandi began by 10.30 am and was completed by 1.20 pm. Gajapati Maharaja Divyasingh Dev performed the Chherapahanra.

The pulling of the chariots began with Taladhwaj of Lord Balabhadra at 3.15 pm followed by Darpdalan of Devi Saubhadra at 3.50 pm. Lord of the Universe Jagannath came on his Nandighosh at the end at 4 pm.  All the three Raths were ready to roll along the three-km Badadanda (Grand Road) towards the Simhadwar (Lion's Gate) of the Sri Mandir before evening.

The famous Sunvesha (donning of golden attires) is scheduled for Ekadashi which falls on Saturday. Special arrangements has made to avoid any sought of untoward situations. One-way traffic arrangements have been made for the vehicles coming and moving out of Puri to ease vehicular movement. These apart, Close-circuit Television Cameras (CCTVs) have also been installed in the Bada Danda area.

Due to snapping of the ropes of Lord Jagannath at least three times leaving about 50 chariot-pulling devotees injured. And the injured included Chief Secretary Bijay Kumar Patnaik, Revenue Divisional Commissioner (Central) and Chief Administrator of the Sri Jagannath Temple Arabinda Kumar Padhee and Puri Collector Arbind Agrawal, who were also pulling the Nandighosh Rath.