‘Pahandi’ mishap to be probed again

BHUBANESWAR: The inquiry report on Lord Balabhadra’s ‘pahandi’ mishap on ‘charamala’ was found inconclusive by the temple managing committee on Friday.

A three-member committee conducted an investigation to find out the reasons behind slipping of Lord Balabhadra’s idol while being taken down the Taladhwaja chariot to ‘Adapa Mandap’ of Gundicha temple in ‘goti pahandi’ during Rath Yatra. The probe report pointed at the lack of coordination among servitors, overcrowding of the chariot and use of mobile phones during the ritual as some of the reasons behind the mishap.

The managing committee, however, asked the probe panel to reinvestigate the incident and name all the people responsible for it. The panel was also tasked with the responsibility of suggesting measures to ensure that such incidents do not recur during ‘pahandi’.

It suggested nine measures which include presence of only the required number of servitors on a chariot for carrying out ‘pahandi’.

“This will be ensured by the Badagrahis of the three deities. Under the guidance of the Badagrahis, a pahandi coordination team will be formed to coordinate with the district collector and SP to decide how many servitors will remain on the chariots, charamala and prevent others from getting atop the chariots,” said chief administrator of Shree Jagannath temple Arabinda Padhee.