Month before Rath Yatra, work on Puri's grand chariots grinds to a halt
BHUBANESWAR: With barely a month left for the annual Rath Yatra in Puri , construction of the three grand chariots came to a halt on Wednesday morning after carpenters staged a protest against the Jagannath temple administration following a dispute over their share of the leftover wood.
The artisans alleged that a temple officer prevented them from taking home leftover timber pieces, which they claim are rightfully theirs as per the temple’s record of rights. “We are entitled to the small, unused remains of the wood used in chariot construction . But the officer stopped us and has been interfering unnecessarily in our work,” said one of the protesting carpenters, Nrusingha Mahapatra.
The artisans alleged that a temple officer prevented them from taking home leftover timber pieces, which they claim are rightfully theirs as per the temple’s record of rights. “We are entitled to the small, unused remains of the wood used in chariot construction . But the officer stopped us and has been interfering unnecessarily in our work,” said one of the protesting carpenters, Nrusingha Mahapatra.
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