Lord Jagannath's Kolkata chariot to glide on Sukhoi tyres
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The new tyres were necessitated after the chariot encountered a steering snag last year.
Acquisition of the Sukhoi tyres marks the culmination of a nearly two-decade quest for fresh tyres for the chariot.
The ageing tyres, in use for over half a century, were from a Boeing B-747. Sourcing the "jumbo jet" tyres became a challenge after the aircraft was phased out. The Sukhoi's 4-ft diameter tyres were found to be the closest match to the jumbo jet tyres, which had the same 4-ft diameter and weighed 110kg each.
While the B-747 tyres were manufactured by Dunlop, the Sukhoi tyres are manufactured by MRF, which supplies main wheel and nose wheel tyres for the Sukhoi Su-30MKI jets in India.
These tyres undergo rigorous testing, including ground speed tests and load-capacity assessments.
"When I contacted MRF requesting Sukhoi tyres for the chariot, they didn't believe us at first," said Radharamn Das, vice-president of Iskcon Kolkata.
"They even sent senior officials to Kolkata to inspect the chariots. When they saw that the chariots were running on Boeing 747 jumbo jet tyres for the past 48 years and we explained that Sukhoi tyres were the closest match in size and durability, they agreed to sell them to us.
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The new Sukhoi tyres will improve the chariot's manoeuvrability, safety and overall stability, especially on Kolkata's roads, many of which have tram tracks.
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They will also reduce strain of pulling on devotees and minimise the chances of technical failures during the Yatra starting June 27.
The tyre-replacement work is currently underway and is expected to be completed by the second week of June, just ahead of Rath Yatra. The key challenge has been to ensure that the new wheels are safely and properly fitted without altering the traditional structure.
"Minor structural modifications were needed, including adjustments to the wheel drums, base frame, and axle fittings to fit the Sukhoi tyres. However, the traditional wooden and iron superstructure of the chariot remains fully preserved," said Iskcon's Das.
The chariot on which Lord Balaram or Baladev rides already sports new iron wheels.
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