Lord Jagannath and siblings begin nine-day sojourn to Gundicha temple

The nine-day sojourn of the presiding deities of the Shree Jagannath Temple—Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra—began this morning amidst the chanting of "Haribol" and "Jai Jagannath" and the rhythmic clanging of cymbals that echoed through the temple town.

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Lakhs of devotees thronged the pilgrim city, converging along the three-kilometre-long 'Bada Danda' (Grand Road), stretching from the Lions Gate of the 12th-century temple to the Gundicha Temple, to witness the world-famous annual Rath Yatra.

The divine siblings, along with Lord Sudarshan, were first offered Gopal Bhog (breakfast) following the completion of daily rituals. Thereafter, they were ceremoniously brought out from the sanctum sanctorum ('Ratna Vedi') in the grand procession known as Pahandi Bije and taken to their elaborately decorated chariots stationed outside the temple.

Hundreds of temple servitors carried the deities on their shoulders through Ananda Bazaar and down the Baishi Pahacha to the Lions Gate, amid tight security and the blowing of conch shells.

As per tradition, Lord Balabhadra is the first to be brought out and placed on the Taladhwaja chariot, followed by Devi Subhadra on the Darpadalana chariot. Lastly, Lord Jagannath—lovingly referred to as Kalia by devotees—will be installed on the Nandighosa chariot.