The first lot of
logs for construction of chariots for Lord Jagannath’s Rath Yatra in the Nabakalebar year arrived
at the rathakhala (the site where the chariots for the Lord’s yatra are
constructed) in Odisha’s pilgrim town Puri on Friday.
In the first lot,
40 pieces of logs reached the rathakhala in two trucks – 24 asan
pieces and 16 dhoura pieces.
Of the 40 logs, 17
measuring 12 feet in length each and seven of 20 feet eachare of the asan variety,
12 of 12 feet length each from the dhoura variety and four logs of 20
feet each from the same variety.
As per tradition,
three logs from the asan variety are consecrated on Saraswati puja day
while construction of the chariots begins on the auspicious day of akshya
trutiya.
As per the Ratha
Sanhita, the manual for construction of chariots, 865 pieces of logs
are required for construction of the three chariots. Various parts of the
chariots are carved out of these logs.
The sawing of logs
(ratha katha chirota parba) for the construction of the chariots begins
on the Rama Navami day. Other than asan and dhoura, logs
derived from phasi species of trees also play an important role in the
construction of the chariots.
Taking into
consideration 174 pieces of unused logs in stock from last year’s Rath Yatra,
611 pieces of logs will be required to be procured for this year’s Rath Yatra .
Besides, 40 logs
from the neem species have been already procured for carving the idols
of peripheral gods and goddesses which are placed on the body of the
chariots. As per tradition, idols of peripheral gods and goddesses,
horses, sarathi etc. used in the chariots are carved afresh in the Nabakalebar
year.
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