TNI Bureau: Devotees gathered in Puri on Friday as the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra resumed their journey to the Shree Gundicha Temple after an overnight halt. Devotees thronged the Grand Road to pull the chariots and seek the blessings of the deities.

The chariot procession had been halted on Thursday evening due to poor light and safety concerns. Lord Balabhadra’s Taladhwaja chariot had stopped near Market Chhak, Devi Subhadra’s Darpadalana at Marichikot Chhak, while Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosa had moved only a short distance from the Singhadwara. The procession resumed on Friday after the completion of the required rituals.

SJTA Chief Administrator Arabinda Kumar Padhee said the three chariots are expected to reach the Shree Gundicha Temple by evening. He also announced that the Adapa Bije ritual has been postponed to Saturday. Around 10 to 12 lakh devotees attended the festival on Thursday despite intermittent rain. However, the celebrations were overshadowed by a crowd surge that claimed the lives of two devotees.