The first lot of logs, which will be used to build the chariots for rath yatra in Puri,being cut at a sawmill in Cuttack on Friday.

Preparations for the chariot festival began on the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami.

The first three logs were cut at the state-owned sawmill here at Khapuria, about 90km from Puri, the abode of Lord Jagannath.

Nearly 7,500 cubic ft of timber from phasi, asana and dhurua trees will be used to make the chariots of the sibling deities at Puri for this year's festivities.

Residents, some of them chanting special prayers, thronged the sawmill to take part in the annual log-slicing ritual, which began after the sacred angyamala from the Jagannath Temple in Puri was brought to Cuttack today, said Jagannath Temple administrative officer (Niti) Pradip Kumar Das.

The actual construction of the chariots, however, would begin on Akshaya Trutiya in May.

"It is a matter of pride for Cuttack resident that we have been rendering the service to the Lord for the past 11 years. Based on the instruction of the chief carpenters, the logs will be cut according to the required sizes that will be used for the construction of wheels, axels and other parts of the chariots," said Ramchandra Das, sub-divisional manager of the Khapuria sawmill.

Das said already 6,000 cubic ft of timber had arrived from different forests in Nayagarh and it will take nearly two months to slice the logs.

The sliced logs would be subsequently used for the construction of seven axles and 14 wheels of the chariot of Lord Balabhadra, eight axles and 16 wheels of Lord Jagannath's chariot and six axles, 12 wheels and platform and base of the chariot of Devi Subhadra. The timber for the chariots are being cut at the government sawmill in Cuttack since 2005.

Text by Vikash Sharma

Picture by Badrika Nath Das