The holy patitapabana, flag atop Lord Jagnnath Temple in Odisha's Puri fell off due to strong winds and heavy rains today triggering panic among devotees. Hindus consider this bad omen. This is the fourth occassion this year that the sacred flag was blown away.
During the first time, the flag turned into a knot and stopped flying. At the second instance, the manasika flag caught fire on papamochani Ekadasi last week, Kalinga TV reported. Third time, it was just before cyclone Amphan that the flag flew off.
The Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) said that other flags near the 'Nilachakra' remain in their place. "The Patitabana blowing away will not affect the several rituals of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, Goddess Laxmi and other deities of the temple," the SJTA was quoted as saying by Orissa Post. SJTA said they are making arrangements to tie the 'Patitabana' atop the 'Nilachakra' again.
Meanwhile, the Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra, one of India's biggest chariot festivals, is set to begin from June 23 this year. Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra commemorates Jagannath's annual visit to Gundicha Temple via Mausi Maa Temple (maternal aunt's home) near Saradha Bali, Puri. The chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra would be pulled on the Grand Road from the Jagannath temple to Gundicha temple over a distance of 2.5 kilometers.This process is called as 'Pahandi'. The procession starts with 'Madan Mohan' then 'Sudarshana' Balabhadra, Subhadra, and Jagannath Deva.
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