Idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra suffered a mishap during the Pahandi ritual as the idol of Lord Balabhadra fell on the Charamala (steps to the chariot), injuring at least seven servitors. The injured were promptly taken to Puri district headquarters hospital where they are reported to be in stable condition.
The ceremonial procession, which commenced with Lord Balabhadra’s Pahandi, was briefly halted due to the incident but resumed once the situation was brought under control.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed concern over the incident and instructed Deputy CM Pravati Parida and Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan to visit Puri and assess the situation. Majhi also conveyed his wishes for the speedy recovery of the injured servitors.
Puri Collector Siddharth Shanker Swain reported that most of the injuries sustained by the servitors were to their legs. “All injured servitors have been transferred to the hospital, where doctors are on standby,” Swain confirmed.
During the Rath Yatra (Gundicha Yatra), the deities traditionally embark on a procession aboard three ornate chariots after the Pahandi ritual, covering a distance of approximately 3 km to reach the Gundicha Temple.