The Odisha government has decided to sell parts of the chariot of Lord Jagannath on which the idol of the lord was taken out in Puri last year for public 'darshan' (audience) during the 'Ratha yatra' chariot festival.
It has been decided to sell off the wheels and other decorative parts of the wooden chariots which have been preserved after the Ratha Yatra over the past three years, an official said on Wednesday.
While the price of a decorated wooden chariot wheel has been fixed at Rs.50,000, a piece of the "Prava" (decorative wood work on the chariot) will cost Rs.25,000.
The "Guja" (wooden plate connecting wheel base and floor of the chariot) will be sold at the rate of Rs.10,000, said Suresh Mohapatra, chief administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA).
The price of "Asuri" (wooden pillar) is fixed at Rs.10,000 per piece.
The SJTA, through a notification, has decided to sell parts of the chariots of Lord Jagannath and his siblings that have been preserved between 2012 and 2014.
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Earlier, these wooden chariot parts were used as firewood in the kitchen of the Jagannath temple.
"The bidder intending to purchase one wheel of any of the chariots at the above fixed-price, will be given one 'Guja' free of cost. One 'Prava' (if available) or two 'Guja' will be given free of cost for purchasing two wheels," SJTA said in the notification.
However, SJTA has stipulated that the chariot parts cannot be misused.
"Misuse of the same in any manner hurting religious sentiments may make the purchaser liable for legal action," said the notification.
People interested in purchasing such material can visit the official website (jagannath.nic.in) to view the chariot wheels and other pieces which have been put up for sale.