File picture of an elephant taking part in rath yatra

Bhubaneswar, June 27: The King of Puri, the first servitor of Lord Jagannath, is known as the Gajapati, which means “master of elephants”. However, no elephants would be seen during the upcoming rath yatra of the lord and his two siblings.

The state government has failed to arrange even a single elephant for the annual journey of the deities on July 3.

Traditionally, as a mark of respect to the Gajapati, an elephant leads his ceremonial procession on the occasion of rath yatra. Led by the pachyderm, the king reaches the three chariots of Lord Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra, ready for their journey.

The king sweeps the chariots with a golden broom. Only after the Gajapati performs this ritual and returns to his palace do the chariots start rolling and mark the beginning of the nine-day sojourn of the deities.

The tradition of engaging an elephant is associated with the car festival since time immemorial. However, it was discontinued about nine years ago after an elephant succumbed to injuries while returning from the yatra.

Puri Jagannath Temple public relations officer Laxmikanta Pujapanda said: “The temple administration is not going to hire any elephant for the ratha yatra this time.”

Sources said that earlier, Nandankanan Zoo authorities used to arrange elephants for the annual event. After the zoo authorities refused to do the favour in 2000, the temple administration brought an elephant called Laxmi exclusively for the purpose of the car festival from Benaras in 2002.

Laxmi’s foot got injured by an iron nail while she was returning to Puri at the end of the yatra. But the wound festered and the elephant eventually died. “We remember the controversy associated with Laxmi’s death. The issue was debated on the floor of the state Assembly. People accused the temple administration. We don’t want such controversies any more,” said a senior official.

Officials also argue that during the rath yatra, there was a chance of the elephant going berserk causing a stampede. “The people at large do not know how to behave with an animal. If the elephant goes berserk seeing the crowd and anything untoward happens, who will be responsible for that?” asked an official.

Interestingly, the temple administration continues to pay the mahaut (rider of the elephant) his salary. “The temple administration should adopt a baby elephant and train it specially for this occasion,” suggested a senior servitor.