Bhubaneswar, April 11: The banajaga yatris, who are camping at the Deuli Mutt in Kakatpur, have almost zeroed in on the neem trees that would be used for making the idols of Lord Jagannath and His siblings.

Daitapati Niyog president Ramakrushna Das Mohapatra, said: "We have shortlisted 10 neem trees. Of them, four trees would be used for this purpose."

The servitors had examined nearly 100 neem trees.

Mohapatra said a meeting of the servitors would be held tonight and a unanimous decision would be taken on the issue.

"Once the decision is taken, it will be conveyed in writing to the temple administration. Chief administrator Suresh Mohapatra will make a formal announcement," he said.

The chief temple administrator is expected to reach the Deuli Mutt tonight to hold a discussion with the yatris on this issue.

The neem trees would be selected after checking them for special holy marks - sankha (conch shell), chakra (wheel), gada (mace) and padma (lotus) - on their trunks. Sources said the first selected tree would be announced either on April 13 or April 14. The other trees would be announced later.

Director-general of police Sanjeev Marik today reached Kakatpur to oversee the arrangements for the ritual. "We will make arrangements to ensure that the devotees can come and have a glimpse of the wood that is selected for making of idols."

Keeping the possible rush of tourists to Puri during Nabakalebar, Biju Patnaik International Airport has also made elaborate arrangements. Today, it organised a mock-drill of its preparedness on how to face any eventuality during the festival. "We are getting ready to respond to emergencies," said airport director Sharad Kumar.

In today's drill, jawans of the National Disaster Rapid Action Force, fire brigade and other officials took part.

Banajaga yatra is the first phase of Nabakalebar that is scheduled to take place in June. During the festival, the existing idols of Lord Jagannath and His siblings - Balabhadra and Subhadra - are replaced with new ones fashioned out of neem wood.

The new idols are put up for public darshan during rath yatra that follows Nabakalebar, a festival that celebrates the old Hindu belief that the soul is immortal and only the body perishes and has to be replaced. The transfer of souls to the new idols of the deities is a ritual wrapped in mystery. The job is generally entrusted to the senior-most daitapati of the Jagannath temple.