Maiden car festival at Patali Srikshetra

BALANGIR: Kotsamalei village in Sonepur district is abuzz with activity. A Rath Yatra on the lines of Puri will be organised at Patali Srikshetra for the first time since the discovery of the idols of The Trinity.The three chariots have been readied for the purpose and final phase construction work is in progress to make the maiden trip of The Trinity, one of its kind.The idols of Lord Jagannath is believed to have been hidden here for 144 years to protect Him from the invaders.In February this year the Puri Gajapati, Dibyasingha Deb, visited Patali Srikshetra and installed idols of the three deities Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra, donated by the Puri Jagannath temple administration to Patali Srikshetra management committee in 2007.The car festival which couldn't be held for different reasons is being organised this year at the initiation of Patali Srikshetra Kriyanusthan Committee (PSKC) and the District Cultural Council. "The festival will be held in the same style as in Puri. The three chariots have also been made accordingly and the rituals and other formalities will be followed as per the direction of Puri Gajapati," said Biranchi Mahapatra, one of the advisors of PSKC. While one chariot has been donated by the villagers of Redham, the other two were constructed by Kotsamalei villagers. "Every attempt is being made to organise the Rath Yatra keeping in view the festival cardinals followed in Puri. A 'snana mandap' has been constructed and the timing of the rituals have also been fixed so as to match with that of Puri," he said.The 'pahandi' ritual will be carried out in the foothills of Trikuta hill. The 'Mausi Maa temple', is about 100 metres from the rath site.