With the traditional Rathyatra ruled out this year due to lockdown restrictions, some organisations worked around tradition to find a middle path that would maintain social distancing and still allow a journey by the idols.

From BF Block on Tuesday, the lords travelled across the township as always, but instead of chariots, they went by car. At DD Block, the chariot was pulled out of the driveway and turned around as soon as it reached the metalled road. Thereafter, the idols took a ride on cars.

New wheels

The Bidhannagar Sree Chaitanya Bhagabat Samaj idols stay at BF 20 round the year and travel to their “aunt’s house” at Central Park during Rathyatra where a fair takes place alongside. This year, the idols were placed in cars and driven to Central Park by the organisers. “The convoy of four cars halted outside the fairground for a few minutes and then took the usual Rathyatra route to City Centre, PNB and went back to BF Block,” said general secretary of the body, Kumar Sankar Sadhu.

The third floor of BF 20 is left entirely to the lords round the year and they are now being kept in a different room on the same floor to signify their aunt’s house. “Disciples may come for darshan from 5pm to 8pm every day till Ultarath,” said

Debasish Roy, who lives on the first floor of the building. “Masks are mandatory for entry and sanitisers are kept too. We are only allowing two or three people in at a time.”

The chariot turned around in front of the house to return. The journey was later completed in a car. (Brinda Sarkar)

BL Block’s Tuli Basu went over to pray on the very first day of the Rathyatra. “I’ve been pulling this chariot since its initial years. Even if that wasn’t possible this time, I wanted to make a contribution towards the flowers and tulsi malas for the idols,” she said. “I was very happy with the arrangements, especially how only two people are being allowed into the lift at a time.”

Change of vehicles

Bidhannagar Ramakrishna Vivekananda Kendra in DD Block had initially secured permission to roll their chariot without fanfare but the police later asked them to cancel it altogether.

“So we pulled the rath till the road and took it back,” said president of the body, Chanchal De, who along with other members then drove the idols around DD Block by car. “Being a doctor myself, I understand how important social distancing in the case of Covid but by tweaking our customs a little bit, we managed to uphold tradition too.”

Devotees pay obeisance to the idol placed in a car in BF Block. Picture by Mayukh Sengupta

A few devotees had come for the ritual and they were very supportive of the method devised. “My grandmother had passed away at this very centre when she had come to pray back in 2010. Two days before that, she had come here to pull Jagannath’s chariot. Since this festival and institute meant so much to her, I wanted to come despite the pandemic,” said Sanghamitra Paul of BF Block. “Of course, I’m following all safety precautions.”

Anindo Sardar of Class IV was one of the lucky few who got to travel in the car with Lord Jagannath. The boy, who studies in the school run by the centre, was amused by the ‘modern chariot’. “I think Jagannath liked the car ride,” said the boy who sat next to the idol.

The ceremony concluded with the distribution of prasad, especially papad bhaja that is customary during this festival, among devotees gathered at the centre.