A woman was killed and three others were on Tuesday injured in a stampede during pulling of Ratha Yatra chariots from the Sri Jagannath temple in which hundreds of thousand people took part.
The 65-year-old woman, identified as Bijaylaxmi Mohanty of Markendeswar Sahi area here, and three others fell down among the throng of devotees as the chariots were being pulled, Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO), Puri, Narahari Maharana said.
They were taken to a hospital where doctors declared the woman brought dead. The condition of three others was stated to be stable, Maharana said.
The incident took place near Gajapati king's palace, about one kilometer from the 12th century temple. Mohanty fell down as the 'Taladwaja', the chariot of Lord Balabhadra, was being pulled, police said.
Millions of devotees from across the country and abroad thronged this pilgrim town on Tuesday when Lord Jagannath, the presiding deity of the 12th century temple here, set off on his annual sojourn to his aunt's house accompanied by elder brother Lord Balabhadra and sister Devi Subhadra on three majestic wooden chariots.
Special rituals like Mangla arati and Mailam were held before the deities proceeded out of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple after descending from the Ratna Sinhasana, the bejewelled throne.
The three deities were taken down the 22 steps of the temple known as 'baisi pahacha' through the Lion's gate in an elaborate royal ritual called 'Pahandi' to the beating of gongs as devotees and sevayats jostled each other to have a closer look and to touch them.
Devotees poured into this seaside town since early morning to watch the ceremonial pulling of the huge chariots of the three deities on the 'Bada Danda', as the Grand Avenue is known, with security personnel deployed in strength keeping a watchful eye.
The temple was thrown open to public on July 11 for the 'Naba Jaubana Darshan' of the deities who remained confined to the 'Anasara Pindi' or recovery chamber following a ritual bath on 'snana purnima' on June 26.
At first Sudarshana, the celestial wheel of Krishna-Vishnu, was taken out and placed in the chariot of Subhadra.
It was followed by Balabhadra, Subhadra and finally Jagannatha. Jagannath was ensconsed in the largest of the chariots, 45-feet high 'Nandighosh' which has 16 huge wooden wheels.
It was followed by the chariot of Balabhadra, the 14-wheeled 44-feet-high 'Taladhwaja' and lastly that of Subhadra known as 'Darpadalan' with 12 wheels and standing 43 feet high. Security cordoned each chariot.
The Gajapati King of Puri Divya Singha Deb arrived from his palace on a silver-plated palanquin for the 'Chhera Pahanra' ritual. He offered prayers to the deity and then swept the platforms with a golden broom and sprinkled flowers and fragrant water.
Among VIPs who turned out to watch the Rathayatra were Governor M C Bhandare and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Meanwhile, volunteers sprayed jets of water on the vast multitude to given them relief from the heat.
In Ahmedabad, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, as per tradition, did the symbolic cleaning of road outside the temple, from where the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balaram and their sister Subhadra were taken out.
The 133rd rathyatra of Lord Jagannath began this morning from Jagganath temple in Jamalpur in the presence of thousands of devotees and robust security arrangements.
Thousands of devotees joined the procession as it started its journey through the 14-kilometre long route including some communally sensitive areas, in old city.
The yatra, oldest in the state, had devotees lined up alongside the chariots of Lord Jagannath, brother Balram and sister Subhadra.
The yatra will see participation of 18 decorated elephants, 98 decorated trucks apart from three big decorated raths of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balram and Subhadra, which will be pulled by 1,000 devotees.
The main chariots are closely followed by colourfully adorned elephants, trucks, motor vehicles, pilgrims on foot, acrobats and gymnasts.
Tight security arrangements with over 14,000 cops and 4500 home guard jawans have been deployed across the city.
Four Bomb Disposal Squads (BDS), nine Quick Response Teams (QRTs), and 27 mobile Police Control Room (PCR) vans have also been deployed for the rathyatra in the city. PTI
