Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra begins; President Murmu to be among the devotees
The annual Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra began on Sunday in the seashore pilgrim town of Puri, Odisha. This year’s festival will be held across two days, the first time since 1971.
President Droupadi Murmu will be among the lakhs of devotees who will attend the yatra on Sunday. The Odisha government, led by Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, has made extraordinary arrangements for her visit.
The Rath Yatra, which is generally held on a single day, will be held across two days this year due to celestial preparations.
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The sacred Jagannath Rath Yatra
Rath Yatra is a prominent Hindu festival honoring Lord Jagannath, a manifestation of Lord Vishnu. During the celebration, Lord Jagannath’s idols, together with his siblings Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, are put on huge chariots and driven through the streets by devotees. This procession begins at the Jagannath Temple and concludes at the Gundicha Temple, covering approximately 3 kilometers.
In a departure from custom, some celebration ceremonies will be held on the same day.
These rituals include ‘Nabajouban Darshan’ and ‘Netra Utsav’, which are typically held before the Rath Yatra.
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‘Nabajouban Darshan’ refers to the young appearance of the three goddesses, who were kept behind closed doors for 15 days in a ceremony known as ‘Anasara’ (quarantine) following ‘Snana Purnima’. According to folklore, the deities become unwell as a result of excessive bathing on ‘Snana Purnima’ and thus stay home.
Prior to ‘Nabajouban Darshan’, the priests performed a special rite known as ‘Netra Utsav’ in which the deities’ eyeballs were repainted.
Odisha government makes special arrangements for the Rath Yatra
The Odisha government has taken meticulous plans to ensure that the annual celebration runs smoothly and on time.
“With the cooperation of all stakeholders, all the rituals are going on smoothly. With the blessings of Lord Jagannath, all other rituals will also be conducted according to the schedule,” Puri Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain told news agency PTI.
Puri Superintendent of Police Pinak Mishra stated that 180 platoons (each comprising 30 personnel) of security forces from both the state and central governments have been deployed to ensure law and order and control the crowds.
According to ADG (law and order) Sanjay Kumar, AI-based CCTV cameras have been deployed in Badadanda, the festival’s venue, as well as other strategic areas.
