Puri, April 6: As a ceremonial beginning for Puri Rath Yatra , chopping of first lot of wood logs for construction of Chariots began on Sunday.
Wood logs, imported from the Duspalla forest in the Nayagarh distric, were mechanically chopped into slabs to make axles for Raths as a primary ritual for Rath Crafting.
Wood log chopping was carried on after an Agyan Mala brought in from the Jagannath temple, was places on the piles of logs.
The initial phase involved the sawing of three pieces of wood, which will be followed by further stages to complete the chariots.
Chief Administrator of the shrine, Arabinda Padhee, was present on the occasion along with a group of other senior SJTA officials.
The head carpenter (Maharana Sevak) who leads the rath crafting, formally inaugurated the process, in a power chopping mill at Cuttack.
As per the tradition, a group of Maharana servitors will craft the three Chariots in as many as 57 working days,that begins from the Vasant Panchami, in the month of Magha, in the Odia almanac.
