Over 1 million devotees witness Puri Rath Yatra

Puri, Jun 27: Over one million devotees from different parts of the country and abroad braved the scorching sun here to participate in the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra.

As soon as the lord of the universe emerged from the temple's main gate with swinging of giant floral tiara in ceremonial pahandi procession, the air rented with "Jai Jagannath", "Haribol" by lakhs of devotees, who also chanted religious hymns.

The colourful pahandi procession was a treat for the devotees, who waited for hours to see their beloved lord coming out of the temple to take a nine-day sojourn to the Gundhicha temple.

Scores of dancers led the procession followed by cymbal players, buglers and drummers, who in a concert encourage the Daita servitors to carry out the strenuous task of ceremonial pahandi to install the three presiding deities of the Jagannath Temple to their respective chariot.

After the three deities installed on their respective chariots, Puri Sankaracharaya Swami Nishalanda Saraswati had a darshan on the rath and offered prayer.

The chariots began rolling down the Grand Road one after another soon after Puri King Divyasingh Dao came in a decorated palanquin called ''Mehana'' and performed the Chhera Pahanra (cleaning the three chariots with a golden broom) ceremony.

He was accompanied by his deputy, Rajguru and other ceremonial dignitaries.

Rath yatra was also observed in hundreds of temple across the state where devotees were seen lined up the route to allow the chariots rolled down from the Jagannath temple to a make shift arrangement for the nine days sojourn of the three deities.

In Baripada, the 415-year-old Rath Yatra, considered to be the second important to the Puri Rath Yatra was witnessed by hundreds of tribal people from remote rural areas who attired in their gala dresses throng the town to watch the three massive chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra rolling on the Grand Road.

Over one lakh of pilgrims mostly from the neighbouring Jharkhand, West Bengal and from different parts of North Orissa thronged the town to watch the ceremonial drive of Lord Jagannath, His elder brother Lord Balabhadra and their sister Goddess Subhadra on a nine-day sojourn to the Aunt's House.

The chariot carrying Devi Subhadra here was pulled exclusively by the women, a tradition which has been observed for over the last three decades.

As a special security arrangement, bomb disposal units, dog squad, snippers, long range movie cameras, besides, close circuit TVs were deployed in the holy city of Puri to face any eventuality during the festival.

UNI.

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