Kalyani Devi, the daughter of Maharaja Gopinath Gajapati Narayan Deo of the Paralakhemundi royal family, performed chhera pahara (sweeping the chariot's path) during this year's rath yatra in Gajapati district on behalf of her 73-year-old father.

Maharaja Gopinath, a descendant of Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati (the first Prime Minister of Odisha) was taken ill last August. Kalyani, who had lived in Chennai for the past two decades, returned to Bhubaneswar last year and has been taking care of her father, who is undergoing treatment in a private hospital, since then. She became the second princess to perform the chariot ritual after the scion of Dharakote royal family, Sulakhyana Gitanjali Devi. Kalyani Devi shares her experience with The Telegraph.

It's an honour for me to have been born in the family of Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati and I am blessed to receive love and respect of the people of Gajapati.

Gajapati is a peaceful place and its people are very helpful. It is with their help that my father is receiving better medical treatment.

I never thought I would perform chhera pahara on the chariots at the Paralakhemundi rath yatra, but it was the people's wish and my family's duty to do seva of Lord Jagannath. It was an honour for me to have been able to conduct this traditional ritual. My great grandfather Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati always saw Lord Jagannath in people's hearts and I also feel the same.

Unfortunately, I had never witnessed rath yatra either in Paralakhemundi or Puri. But when I witnessed it this year, I was totally mesmerised by the faith of the people and it can never be expressed in any form of words. Seeing the devotees of all ages, old and young, enjoying the journey of salvation makes you forget your sorrow of life.

We have been following the Lord Jagannath culture for centuries and in my opinion, this culture is a huge source of positive energy and following it will help you fight all the odds of your life.

Belonging to the Gajapati dynasty is also a great responsibility. You can see the level of discipline of the Maharaja of Puri, Dibya Singh Deo, who is also my uncle. If someone studies his life, then he/she will understand how a person achieves the highest level of respect just by following the path of truth and simplicity. Today, he is our dynasty's ambassador and we are proud him.

Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati was himself a visionary person. He made the impossible possible only with the love and respect of his people.

Unfortunately, today the condition of our temple s not good, and hence I need to stay in Paralakhemundi to make things all right and reconstruct Lord Jagannath's temple. By default, people have lots of expectations from our family. Though I can never be a visionary like Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati, I will definitely work to the best of my abilities to do some development works for the people. I have faith in the Lord and I also believe that what the body can't endeavour, faith can.

People have accepted me as I am without discriminating against me because of my gender or other reasons. Therefore, I sometimes wonder how I can repay their respect. I am confident that god will help me to do some development work for my people.

Jai Jagannath!

Jai Gajapati!