The chariots of the deities serve a purpose even after their journey is done. The wood is used as fuel for cooking different dishes for the Lords. The dishes are called kotha bhoga.

“The wood used in the three chariots can be used for 8-9 months to cook food for the Lords,” said Raghunath Khuntia, a sevayat of Jagannath temple. The wood is also presented to the artisans involved in making the chariots as prapya or their due for rath-making. The maharanas (people who cut the woods) and bhois (who lift woods to the chariots) receive the wooden logs.

“Previously the wood used in chariot making was auctioned but the money generated from it was small. So, the auction has been stopped for the last four years,” said Premananda Das Mohapatra, secretary of Daitapati Niyoga Samti.

“Sometimes the wheels of the chariots are presented to chandan hajuri (chaki khuntia) as prapya,” said Raghunath Kar, another sevayat.

The ropes are also reused in various festivals associated with the Lords. Similarly, the cloth materials used for the chariots are used in the making of biman during chandan yatra and other festivals.