Puri: The sacred Bahuda Yatra, the return journey of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra from the Gundicha Temple to the Shree Jagannath Temple, began on a devotional note in Puri on Friday with the completion of the Pahandi ritual.

Amid the chanting of 'Jai Jagannath', the beating of traditional gongs and cymbals, and the blowing of conch shells, the sibling deities were ceremonially carried from the Gundicha Temple and placed on their respective chariots in the traditional Pahandi procession. The ritual drew lakhs of devotees, who gathered along the Grand Road to witness one of the most significant events of the annual Rath Yatra festival. 

Lord Balabhadra was seated on the Taladhwaja chariot, Devi Subhadra on the Darpadalana chariot, and Lord Jagannath on the Nandighosha chariot after the completion of the Pahandi.

The pulling of the three chariots will begin after the Chhera Pahanra ritual by the Gajapati Maharaja.

The Bahuda Yatra marks the return of the deities to the 12th-century Jagannath Temple after their week-long stay at the Gundicha Temple. During the journey, Lord Jagannath's chariot will halt at the Mausi Maa Temple, where the deity will be offered the traditional Poda Pitha as part of the ritual.

Puri witnessed an overwhelming influx of devotees for the festival. Elaborate security, traffic regulation, crowd management and emergency response arrangements have been put in place to ensure the smooth conduct of the event. Security has been further strengthened following directions from the Odisha government to maintain strict crowd control and prevent any untoward incidents.