BHUBANESWAR: Construction of the chariots for July 12 Rath Yatra is likely to be completed ahead of schedule.
While the chariots used to be ready around 2 or 3 days before the start of nine-day Rath Yatra, this time it is likely to get over a week before the grand festival.
On Tuesday, the carpenters completed installation of Chari Nahaka, the four pillars, nine days ahead of the schedule.
Chari Nahaka, a major work, rises from the base and supports the entire dome-like structure of the chariots.
The Chari Nahaka was scheduled to be installed on the occasion of Debasnan Purnima on June 24.
“We always target completion of Chari Nahaka on the auspicious occasion of Debasnan Purnima.
For the first time we have completed it nine days ahead of the schedule.
This would help us complete the other parts of chariots in quick time,” said Kartika Bhoi, a Rath craftsman.
The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) said the carpenters, Bhoi servitors and artists have been working around 12 hours a day for timely completion of the giant wooden chariots.
“To encourage them financially during Covid, we have doubled their remuneration,” SJTA’s administrator Ajay Kumar Jena said.
Altogether 198 persons, including carpenters, Bhoi servitors and artists have been engaged in the making of the chariots.
The height of the Taladhwaja chariot of Lord Balabhadra is 45ft and has 14 wheels, Nandighosha of Jagannath is 45.6ft with 16 wheels and Devidalan of Goddess Subhadra is 44.6ft with 12 wheels.
As per tradition, the carpenters use 742 pieces of wooden logs of different species for the construction of Jagannath’s chariot, 731 logs for Balabhdra’s chariot and 711 logs for Subhadra’s.
“When some of our colleagues had tested positive for Covid-19, we were worried.
Apprehending that the virus may infect more carpenters in the coming days, we put the construction work on the fast-track and ensured that major stages of the work are completed ahead of the schedule.
Luckily, all the 26 infected colleagues have resumed duties after being completely recovered from Covid”, Bijay Mahapatra, a carpenter said.