Nabarangpur: A preparatory meeting was held on Saturday by the Shree Jagannath Ritual Management Committee in the premises of the Shree Jagannath Temple in Nabarangpur, ahead of this year’s Rath Yatra (Chariot Festival). The meeting focused on ensuring a smooth and disciplined execution of rituals from Netrotsav (ritual eye-opening ceremony) to Niladri Bije (return of the deities to the temple).
There was detailed discussion on how to ensure strict discipline in the conduct of each ritual. The car handover process before the installation day of the chariots was highlighted. Artisans (Maharanas) involved in the chariot construction will be consulted directly for better coordination.
Timely conduct of Pahandi Bije (procession of deities), arrival of the Tahia (ceremonial headgear) at the temple, and scheduling of general public darshan after the Pahandi procession were key discussion points.
The Rath Yatra Management Meeting was held under the chairmanship of Naresh Tripathy, Chairperson of the Ritual Management Committee. Prominent attendees included:
Temple Royal Priest (Rajpurohit) & Chief Advisor Narasinghanath Tripathy
Vice-Chairperson Bhawani Shankar Satapathy
Joint Secretaries Durga Tripathy, Damodar Choudhury, Trayanath Tripathy
Members Kishore Pattnaik, Sridhar Patra, A. Satish, Mandu Acharya, Promise Tripathy, China Naidu, P. Mee, Venkata Rao, Rajesh Sabar, Sumit Pal, Rajan Tripathy, Satya Behera, Popu Tripathy, Tapas Tripathy, Chandan Pradhan, Pindu Sahu, and many others.
The committee’s Secretary extended thanks to all participants.
Discussions were also held on managing the flow of devotees to avoid crowd issues, ensuring timely ceremonial rituals like Charamala (sacred ropes) release, and smooth commencement of Rath pulling. After the deities reach Gundicha Temple, plans are in place to facilitate hassle-free public viewing.
Decisions were finalized to safely conduct nighttime Pahandi, and to streamline key rituals like Hera Panchami, Bahuda Yatra, and Suna Besha (Golden Attire ceremony). During Suna Besha, a protective enclosure will be placed around the chariots for crowd control.
The final Niladri Bije ritual is also to be executed with timely precision and discipline, as emphasized in the meeting.