Puri Chariot Festival Ends

krsna · June 30, 2004

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PURI, INDIA, June 28, 2004: It is the end of the annual festivities at

the temple town of Puri as the deities of Lord Jagannath, his brother

Balbhadra and sister Subhadra made their way back to the Jagannath

temple. Devotees were seen dancing in religious fervor at the beginning

of Lord Jagannath's final journey on Sunday. Despite the scorching heat

pilgrims lined up early in the morning and waited for hours outside the

Gundicha temple to catch a final glimpse of the Lord. And as the

deities emerged for the final Bahuda yatra, the crowds broke into

frenzy. "It was Lord Jagannath's wish that I make this journey and I

have come. It's been an enlightening experience as it has brought me

immense peace. Even heaven may not match this peace that I have

attained," said a devotee.

After spending a week in the Gundicha temple, the deities made their

way back through the streets of Puri and like mere mortals eager to get

home, luck seemed to be on their side as everything happened with

clockwork precision, including the Pahandi ceremony where they climbed

their chariots. Apart from memories of a grand spectacle some devotees

are taking back much more. "I am making one documentary for all the old

Vaishnavs who can not come to Puri as they are old. I am recording the

rath yatra and they can see it on TV," says another devotee. With the

deities back at the Jagannath temple, life in Puri will go back to

normal until it's time for the Lord to make his next annual journey

through the streets of the temple town.

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