Berhampur: Clad in royal attire, scions of several royal families in Ganjam district on Saturday performed chhera pahanra (sweeping the chariot) before the chariots were pulled by devotees.

Ashok Kumar Narendra Dev, son of Sishir Kumar Dev, the then king of Mahuri estate whose ancestors built the Jagannath temple at Khaspa street in 1803, performed the ritual. He has been carrying on the tradition after his father's death since 1974. Ashok has sold his palace in Berhampur and his family has shifted to Bhubaneswar. He comes only during the festival.

In Digapahandi, Manikeswari Prasad Dev, 69, the royal scion of Bada Khemundi estate, also performed the ritual. He lives in Badakhemundi Palace situated in Berhampur, but came to Digaphandi for the festival.

Similarly, the royal scion of Sanakhemundi, Udaya Narayan Dev, performed chhera pahanra in Podamari.

Sachhidananda Rajendra Deo, 96, of Chikiti, who is also the father-in-law of minister Usha Devi, though performs the ritual during rath yatra every year, this year he was advised not to climb on the chariot as his health does not permit it. The royal priest did the chhera pahanra instead.

Purna Chandra Singhdeo, the royal scion of Sheragada, did not perform the ritual. The royal priest performed it, while Singhdeo first pulled the chariot. "It's our tradition here," Singhdeo said.

In Khallikote, a retired Sanskrit teacher, Surendra Kumar Acharya, performed chhera pahanra as the representative of the royal family where Jagannath Mardaraj built a huge temple next only to the Puri temple in size and architecture in 1863.

In Jarada, the royal scion Dipak Chandra Deb performed chhera pahanra with traditional attire. The palace of Jarada has now been totally damaged with Deb staying in a newly constructed small house near the dilapidated palace.