Puri Rath Yatra chariot building halted by Maharana Sevak carpenters
Chariot building for Puri's big Rath Yatra festival hit a pause on Wednesday when the Maharana Sevak carpenters stopped work.
They were upset about new rules that blocked them from taking home leftover wood, a tradition they say is their right according to temple records.
The chariots (Nandighosha, Taladhwaja, and Darpadalana) are a huge deal for the festival on July 16.
Puri temple promises payment to carpenters
The standoff lasted about four hours until temple officials promised the carpenters monetary compensation instead of leftover timber.
With that settled, around 200 artisans (carpenters, blacksmiths, and painters) got back to building the massive wooden chariots;
around 865 large wooden logs are being used for the construction of the chariots in time for one of Puri's most iconic events.