Bhubaneswar, Jun 22 (IANS): Lakhs of devotees resumed pulling the chariots of the deities in the world famous Rath Yatra at Puri Friday, and the chariots reached their destination, the Gundicha temple, an official said.

The main ritual of the annual chariot festival started Thursday at 3.40 pm, about 40 minutes later than scheduled.

The chariots could not reach their destination the same day as the one positioned in front more often lurched to the left, Laxmidhar Pujapanda, public relations officer of the Jagannath temple, told IANS.

Pujapanda said that the pulling of chariots resumed at 9.15 a.m. Friday and they reached their destination without further problems. The deities would be taken inside the Gundicha temple Saturday.

The Rath Yatra festival celebrates the annual journey of the three deities from the 12th century Jagannath temple in Puri in three splendid wooden chariots pulled by devotees to the Gundicha temple, three km away.

The chariots of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are respectively known as Nandighosh, Taladhwaja and Padmadhwaja.

The festival ends nine days later when the deities make their way back home to the Jagannath temple.

The Puri Rath Yatra draws about a million devotees from across the country every year. Many also come from abroad.