Puri (Odisha): The Bahuda Rath Yatra concluded on Saturday, marking the end of the 13-day long Rath Yatra, the annual chariot festival.
Bahuda Yatra marks the return of Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath to the sanctum sanctorum of the 12th-century Jagannath temple in a special ritual called 'Niladri Bije.'
The ritual is conducted after the 12th day of Rath Yatra in which the divine siblings along with Lord Sudarshan are taken to the temple and seated on the Ratna Singhasana (bejewelled throne) in a ceremonial procession.
Niladri bije is the ceremony of Lord Jagannath’s return with his siblings from the Raths to the main temple in Goti Pahandi. Among all the rituals of Jagannath Rath Yatra, the most interesting and last one seems to be Niladri bije.
‘Niladribije’ is the last part of the annual Rath Yatra of the deities, Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra.
On this day, the Lords enter the sanctum sanctorum. After the Lords returned from Gundicha temple, the rituals of ‘Suna Besha’ and ‘Adhara Pana’ were performed on the chariots.
Only those servitors who had tested negative for COVID-19 were allowed to pull the chariots.
Due to coronavirus pandemic, scores of devotees this year were denied an opportunity to visit Puri to witness the mega event. They watched the proceedings on television in their homes.
The Rath Yatra is one of the biggest religious event throughout India held in one of the four major pilgrimages or the Chard Dhams in the country- the Puri Jagannath Temple.
This nine-day journey consists of Lord Jagannath's procession to Gundicha Temple(his birthplace), his stay there and his return to the Jagannath Temple.
(With inputs from ANI)
Also Read: Niladri Bije: Return of the Holy Trinity into the temple
