No Impact from Stampede a Day After

BY: SUN STAFF CORRESPONDENT

[Photos: Sampradaya Sun]

Jul 14, 2010 — JAGANNATHA PURI, ORISSA — For Sandhya Tripathy, yesterday's stampede-like situation during the tugging of chariots was not a scary experience at all. Nor did the news involving the death of a woman in the tragic mishap stop her from plunging into the crowd to have a darshan of the Deities onboard Their respective chariots in front of Gundicha Temple on Wednesday.

Not only Sandhya, but also a number of devotees were unfazed by the push and nudge that took place near Dolabedi square in front of Royal Palace during Rath Yatra on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the pilgrims poured in by the thousands in front of Gundicha Temple, where the Deities will stay till July 20th.

Even though the chariots reached the venue on Tuesday, the Deities entered into the Gundicha Temple on Wednesday night. Prior to that, there was a maddening rush of pilgrims from morning till evening to watch the Deities on chariots.

"Though I was present in the crowd on Rath Yatra, the stampede-like situation took place pretty far from the place where I had stood. The unfortunate news perturbed many of us for a moment. But it did not frighten us," Sandhya said. "I have come alone today to watch the Deities. I am not scared," she quipped with a smile.

While people raised fingers to police for their inaction that reportedly led to the tragedy, Sandhya described, "it was God's decree". "It was God's judgment. It is also by providence that I am still alive. Else, I could have died in stampede yesterday. So I came again to take part in the Deities' annual procession," she said.

Bilasini Mukherjee, a pilgrim from Kolkata, narrated the tragedy as unfortunate. "The disaster was predestined. Our fate decides when we die. So why should I fear death and not come out to soak in the grand religious proceeding," she remarked.

Amongst the staunch believers of God, there were some devotees, who termed such mishaps as a path for salvation. "I am 61-years-old now. So I have no interest in the materialistic world. It is a great fortune to die while watching Jagannath," said another devotee, Bhagaban Sethi from Puri.

His words carried much significance if ‘suicides' committed by pilgrims during Rath Yatra in the past was any indication. In yesteryears, frenzied pilgrims used to jump before the giant chariot wheels to attain moskha, or salvation.

Meanwhile, the Gundicha Temple is abuzz with activity as the Deities are here to spend nine-days vacation before They return to Their real abode—Jagannath Temple—during Bahuda Yatra (homecoming) on July 21st.

During these days, Gundicha Temple, which often remains empty, will transform into Jagannath Temple. In line with Jagannath Temple's program of worship, around 25 types of rituals will be performed daily before the Deities at Gundicha shrine. Pilgrims get Mahaprasad of the Deities here instead of at Jagannath Temple during these nine days.