Puri: Construction of chariots for Lord Jagannath’s Rath Yatra began from today following the ratha katha anukula ritual on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya.
The temple administration conducted a special ritual for the three logs of wood at the chariot yard (Ratha Khala) on the grand road after receiving divine permission from Lord Jagannath.
After the ritual, senior Maharana servitors (carpenters) symbolically touched the three logs, meant for three different raths, with gold and silver axes marking the beginning of the construction of the chariots.
Around 100 Bhoi and Maharana servitors would begin the construction work from tomorrow for making the three gigantic chariots, 45-feet-high Nandighosha for Lord Jagannath, 44-feet-high Taladhwaja for Lord Balabhadra and 43-feet-high Debadalana for Devi Subhadra.
Likewise, the 21 day-long Chandan Yatra of Lord Jagannath and his siblings commenced today on the occasion of the Akshaya Tritiya.