Puri, March 27 -- The initial preparations for the construction of the three grand chariots for the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath and his siblings commenced on Friday, marking the beginning of one of Odisha's most revered traditions.
As part of the ritual, a four-member team of servitors associated with chariot construction departed for the Khapuria sawmill in Cuttack. They carried the sacred Agnya Malya (garland of divine approval) from the deities, which formally signifies the start of the timber preparation process. The logs, supplied by the state forest department, will be used to build the three majestic chariots.
Following age-old customs, the sawing of timber begins only after the servitors receive the Agnya Malya. The ritual...