Bhubaneswar, Jul 15 (IANS): Religious fervour gripped the holy city of Puri as rituals commenced with pomp and gaiety for the Bahuda Yatra or the return car festival of Lord Jagannath and siblings Subhadra and Balabhadra on Monday.

The deities will return to their main temple, the 12th-century shrine around 3 kms away from Gundicha Temple, after the end of their nine-day sojourn on Monday.

The holy triad was brought to their respective chariots from Gundicha Temple or Adap Mandap in a grand ceremonial Pahandi Bije procession with the enthralling and divine sound of traditional musical instruments. The coastal city is reverberating with holy chants of Jay Jagannath and Hari Bol by lakhs of devotees gathered there to witness the divine spectacle.

As per the tradition, the celestial weapon of Lord Krishna, Sudarshan Chakra is first brought and placed in the chariot of Goddess Subhadra which is followed by the Pahandi of Balabhadra, Subhadra and finally Lord Jagannath.

Later, the king of Puri, Gajapati Dibya Singh Deb will carry out the ceremonial sweeping of the chariots with a golden broom, popularly known as the Chera Pahanra ritual, before the pulling of the three chariots from Gundicha Temple to Jagannath Temple by the devotees.

The officials of the temple and district administration are on their toes to ensure the smooth completion of all rituals and avoid the repetition of the mishap during the Adap Mandap Bije ritual.

On July 9, Lord Balabhadra slipped on the ‘Charamala’ (makeshift ramp) while being taken in pahandi from his chariot, Taladhwaja’ to Gundicha Temple, (Adap Mandap or Yajna Vedi).

Following the instructions of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy CM Pravati Parida and two Ministers- Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan and Culture Minister Suryavanshi Suraj, have been camping in Puri to supervise and ensure the smooth completion of all rituals till Niladri Bije, the last ritual of 12-day Rath Yatra festival, which is going to be observed on Friday.