Bhubaneswar: The trinity on Wednesday returned to their abode in Puri, ending rath yatra this year.

All the rituals related to niladri bije was carried out much prior to the scheduled time, and the deities had entered the Jagannath temple by 10pm.

Sources said that after the Supreme Court had expressed its displeasure over the issue of reforms in the temple and issued a series of strictures, the servitors became more alert and tried to ensure that no disturbance cropped up this time. The temple wore a festive look today as the trinity returned to the shrine after their nine-day sojourn.

Wing Commander Bikash Kanungo, a pilot of the Indian Air Force, said: "I have been coming to witness rath yatra for the last 25 years. I have never witnessed niladri bije being conducted so early. For the first time, all things went on smoothly. The devotees are getting the blessings of the Lord without facing any problems. All credit goes to the temple administration."

Prior to the beginning of niladri bije (deities being taken into the sanctum sanctorum), the trinity were offered rasagolla bhog. Since the Nabakalebar festival in 2015, the occasion of niladri bije has been dedicated to rasagolla by Odias worldwide.

Thousands of devotees thronged the shrine to watch the deities being taken to their abode from their vacation at Gundicha temple.

A photo journalist, Nigam Patra, made the rituals live on Facebook. "As people are used to social media, I thought I should made niladri bije live on Facebook. I did it for those, who could not watch the live telecast. Many of my Facebook friends staying aboard watched it," said Patra.

In another incident, a servitor, Narasingha Mohapatra, suffered grievous injuries while falling from the bejewelled throne of the deities. He fell while putting an appliqué for the Lord Jagannath.