Jai Jagannath …. This travel experience have been very unique in my life and I will remember it till my last breath . This year 2021 has been the toughest security in puri rath yatra for the reason of pandemic of covid 19 . The original plan was that normal public has been barred from watching Rath Yatra in the fear of gathering crowd which will may lead to covid disaster .
65 platoons of police force and some military forces have been deployed to make the law and order in control . There has been a 3 day curfew in the puri city and there was 144 in the baro dana (the road where the chariots were pulled) . All the shops except medical shops are closed in the puri city from 11 th of the july to the 13 th of july 2021 . In Baro dana from every house they collected data regarding the no of people residing the house . No other people are allowed in those building for this three days . There was police barricade of 100 -200 m before the road connecting baro dana . It is almost like a war to obstructing people to gather in the city and watch puri rath yatra .
This time I planned to watch the rath Yatra . I take a two day leave from the office to attend Puri Rath Yatra . I know that it would be very hard experience to watch rath yatra still I planned for this journey . This year rath Yatra was on 12 th of july and it was Monday . On 9 th of july I come to my home after the office . Around 8 pm I take a local train to reach the Howrah station . My express train was kamkhya – puri express . Though train was stopped at khurda rd for not allowing people to reach the holy city . I have booked a ticket for the Bhubaneshwar city and planned to reach puri by road . Train left Howrah at 23:15 pm in the night and reached Bhubaneshwar 5:30 am in 10 th july.
After reaching there first in the way I meet a bengali sadhu . He also planning for the puri trip to experience Rath Yatra . There was no public transport available for the journey . No bus was running between the two city to restrict public from reaching to Puri . So we planned to travel Puri by a auto rishka . It take around 2 hour for the journey . The road was nice and we reached puri in 8 : 30 am and the auto was stopped just in front of the Raths . This were almost complete and just some paint work is left . They look marvelous in the Baro Dana . One by one three chariots of the Balaram , subhadra and Jagannath are standing in the Baro Dana . The largest was the jagannath’s Nandighosh then balaram’s Taldwaj and then sister subhadra’s Darpadalna . Today is the last day public freely move around the city and have a glimpse of the holy chariots and Temple but from a distance .
Now I find a Hotel and walk towards the sea beach to take a bath . The sky was very cloudy and sea was little darker . I take bath in sea after a long time . I don’t go into deep sea and roam in the shore . After that in the evening once again I reached to the temple to see the famous changing of the flags in puri temple and have a close look on chariots making and painting on the chariot walls . From around 2:30 am I have been there to see when the flag in the temple has been changed as in the previous time I come to puri I missed this event . In the meantime I saw that the cloth cover has been laid in the chariots . Balaram’s chariot with red and black cover then subhadra’s chariots with green and red cover then Lord jagannath’s chariot cover with red and yellow cover .
I saw some unique things How the ropes being fitted in the chariots . They fit those ropes with screw and bolt in the chariots . Every chariots have some wooden horses in front of it . They painted the chariots with some odisha decorum . In the meanwhile some chariots makers take rest behind the chariots . There is a big wooden block in front of the chariot to stop the chariot . From this day police start building barricade on the road and put restrictions on the people’s movement . I waited there lots of time . Around 6 pm I saw one people on the temple top changing the flags of temple . First he changes the outer flag then changes the top flag . It was fascinating to watch this . After that I pray to the god and went for my hotel .
Today is 11th July and I traveled towards Konarak temple and when comeback I saw the restriction of people movement becomes harder and nobody was allowed near to the chariots . I pray to the god from the far distance and saw that now the chariots are bring in front of the temple complex . They are parked one by one in a line and fully covered chariots with beautifully designed cloths . Next day is the chariot festival .
Today I woke up late as in the previous day I watched the Euro 2020 final and thought How to watch the chariot as most of the people said that it is impossible to watch rath Yatra this year .Only the boy with whom I went to Konarak said he will arrange something to watch this year chariots festival for me . The only hope is this people though in the morning I inquire every check point to see where is a chance to watch Rath Yatra . Behind the Rath there is a place very near but only chariot top can be watched from there . Then I walked in the parallel to the road of the Baro dana to find a place to watch Rath . Then I find a place from where there is a clear chance to watch Rath . Then after I come back to my hotel and called that person to show me his place from where we can watch Rath Yatra . next I take a bath and freshens up .
Around 12:30 this person come with his bike . Although he promised me to take me in a high rise building though he fails to take me to any that kind of building . Then he talks to some local people to find a place to watch the Rath Yatra . Then he finally taken me to that place where there is a passage in a market open toward the baro dana . Here we were waiting for the chariots to come . Now what happens is that though the chariiots don’t come come the police . After coming the police van we ran and after sometime come inside a local people’s house . When we see no police was there then this person talk to locals to find a place to watch Rath Yatra . Finally he taken me to a Temple which is just besides the Baro Dana . In the name donation we have to give bribe to the prist of the temple to get a sit inside to watch Rath Yatra .
Though ethically I am not right to bribe to a priest to watch rath Yatra but my intension was right . Puri rath yatra is most famous , govt should make some procedure to watch rath either by showing covid negative certificate or by vaccination certificate not closing the door to everyone . In my mind I am clear I have been fully vaccinated against covid so by me no covid can be spread . when Europe can organize euro 2020 India also has the capability to arrange this kind of big events without disaster just require a little trust in their citizens and some procedure be strictly followed .
From Like 1 am we have to wait till 3 am to pass the rath from this place . We means here some local people also sitted to watch the rath Yatra . Sometimes police came to keep the area beside clean from people but still people gathered . Opposite of the building there was some market from there also some people saw the rath yatra .
First come the Balaram’s Taldwaj rath . Before coming the rath there was fire Brigade cars which washes the road with water . Then comes the small water cars from there they spray water in those pandas and police who pull the rath by the coconut rope attached to the rath . They spray such a way that the whole area becomes cloudy and making it a wonderful atmosphere . Balaram’s chariots having 14 wheels and red and black in color . One person standing in the front with a long stick commanding people to pull the rath and then also stop the chariots . Rath goes in a very slow pace . Just some little moving and then the rath stops and water is sprayed above the devotees . some people in the rath make the sound of the kansar ghanta (some musical instruments like a drum) to indicate for the chariot movement . Today , rath and the god is garlanded with the flowers beautifully . There is also some people in rath who says about the celestial facts about this rath yatra yatra . They also bhajan about sri krishna . After the rath moves there is a rope boundary by security guard to avoid any accident .
After the Balaram rath moves then comes the Subhadra’s Rath Darpadalana . It is the smallest rath with green and red in color . I don’t know why but this is the slowest rath also . Little bit it progresses and the rath stops again . This rath and deity also garlanded by the flowers. It has 12 wheels .
Now comes the real show maker people are waiting for . Before coming of the rath the fire brigade cars washes the road . Govt sweeper cleaned and remove every dirt from the road . The cars spread the water above the devotee . They dance with the Bhajan of krishna . Now comes the Nandighosh(Rath of Jagannath ) beautifully garlanded by the flowers with 16 wheel the biggest chariot and lord jagannath in his throne among the people toward’s his aunt’s house in Gindicha temple . It is a red and yellow colored chariot. I come out of the temple and take some picture and Finally my Yatra has been successful . It is my desire from the childhood to participate in Rath Yatra . Though I am unable to participate still have the feeling of the Rath yatra from my heart . After that I come back to hotel for my return journey in the next day to my home west Bengal .
Staying this days in Puri is very hard . All city has been under curfew . No shops except medical has been opened . only sweet shops opens by a very narrow entrance or down the half shutter . Resturent was totally closed for public . I ordered food online . only this way I eat on those days . There was no public transport in the city. all is well whose end’s well. See you in the next blog
