Bhubaneswar, July 17: The annual Gundicha Yatra in Puri entered its final phase on Friday as Lord Jagannath's Nandighosha chariot reached the sacred Gundicha Temple, marking the completion of one of the most significant events of the world-famous Rath Yatra festival. Earlier in the day, the chariots of Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra also completed their journey to the temple amid chants of "Jai Jagannath" and the presence of thousands of devotees.

The ceremonial pulling of the three majestic wooden chariots had begun on Thursday afternoon along the historic Bada Danda (Grand Road). However, the procession was suspended for the night after the scheduled pulling time exceeded the traditional hours prescribed for the ritual. The chariots were securely stationed at different points along the rain-soaked Grand Road before the journey resumed on Friday morning.

During the overnight halt, Lord Balabhadra's Taladhwaja chariot was stationed near Market Chhak, while Devi Subhadra's Darpadalana chariot stopped at Marchikote Chhak. Lord Jagannath's Nandighosha had moved only a short distance before the day's rituals concluded.

With the resumption of the procession on Friday, devotees enthusiastically pulled the chariots to the Gundicha Temple, considered the garden house of Lord Jagannath, where the deities will stay for several days before beginning their return journey during the Bahuda Yatra.

The successful completion of the Gundicha Yatra was witnessed by lakhs of devotees amid elaborate security arrangements and smooth crowd management by the district administration, police and temple authorities, ensuring the festival continued peacefully despite intermittent rainfall.

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