Puri, Jul 17: The pulling of the majestic chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra resumed on Friday morning in Puri after the Rath Yatra procession was halted the previous evening due to fading light.

Thousands of devotees lined the Bada Danda (Grand Road) to witness the sacred journey and participate in the ceremonial pulling of the chariots amid chants of "Jai Jagannath". The procession drew massive crowds as devotees offered prayers and sought the blessings of the sibling deities.

On Thursday, Lord Balabhadra's Taladhwaja chariot reached Fire Station Chhak, while Devi Subhadra's Darpadalana halted at Marichikote Chhak. Lord Jagannath's Nandighosha moved only a short distance from the Singhadwara before the day's procession was suspended.

The chariots are expected to reach Saradhabali near the Gundicha Temple later in the day.

Adapa Bije Postponed
Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Chief Administrator Arabinda Kumar Padhee said all rituals on the chariots will be completed before the pulling resumes.

"The target is to take all three chariots to the Gundicha Temple before evening. However, the Adapa Bije ritual cannot be held today and will instead take place on Saturday," Padhee said.

Procession Halted Over Safety Concerns
The Rath Yatra procession was suspended on Thursday evening after authorities decided against continuing the chariot pulling in low-light conditions. The decision was taken following advice from the Bhoi Sardar, keeping in view the safety of lakhs of devotees present on the Grand Road.

Despite intermittent drizzle throughout the day, an estimated 10 to 12 lakh devotees gathered in Puri for the annual festival.

Also Read: Chariot Pulling to Resume in Puri Today at 9:30 am After Overnight Halt

Devotees Throng Grand Road
The deities remained atop their chariots under the open sky throughout the night, offering devotees a rare opportunity to witness the divine spectacle. Thousands of pilgrims continued to gather along the Grand Road to have darshan of the Holy Trinity before the journey resumes on Friday.

With the chariot pulling set to restart in the morning, authorities have intensified crowd management and security measures to facilitate the smooth movement of the chariots towards the Gundicha Temple.