The journey of the deities.

Puri, July 13 (PTI): Millions of devotees from across the country and abroad thronged this pilgrim town today when Lord Jagannath, the presiding deity of the 12th century temple here, set off on his annual sojourn to his aunt's house accompanied by elder brother Lord Balabhadra and sister Devi Subhadra on three majestic wooden chariots.

Special rituals like Mangla arati and Mailam were held before the deities proceeded out of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple after descending from the Ratna Sinhasana, the bejewelled throne.

The three deities were taken down the 22 steps of the temple known as 'baisi pahacha' through the Lion's gate in an elaborate royal ritual called 'Pahandi' to the beating of gongs as devotees and sevayats jostled each other to have a closer look and to touch them.

Accidents on the deities way

A woman was killed and three others were today injured in a stampede during pulling of Ratha Yatra chariots from the Sri Jagannath temple in which hundreds of thousand people took part. The 65-year-old woman, identified as Bijaylaxmi Mohanty of Markendeswar Sahi area here, and three others fell down among the throng of devotees as the chariots were being pulled, Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO), Puri, Narahari Maharana said.

They were taken to a hospital where doctors declared the woman brought dead. The condition of three others was stated to be stable, Maharana said.

The incident took place near Gajapati king's palace, about one kilometer from the 12th century temple. Mohanty fell down as the 'Taladwaja', the chariot of Lord Balabhadra, was being pulled, police said.