Rath Yatra LIVE | Puri chariot-pulling resumes; 1 dead during Sunday festivities

Lakhs of people pulled forward giant chariots from the 12th-century Jagannath temple in Puri towards Gundicha temple, around 2.5 km away, as Rath Yatra festivities began in Odisha on Sunday (July 7). The festivities continued on Monday after a break on Sunday evening in a departure from the tradition usually followed.

The “yatra” started around 5.20 pm after Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalanada Saraswati visited the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra with his disciples and the Puri’s titular king completed the Chhera Pahanra (chariot sweeping) ritual.

President Droupadi Murmu performed a “parikrama” of the three chariots and bowed before the deities.

The president, Governor Raghubar Das, the CM and Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan symbolically started the “yatra” by pulling the ropes of Nandighosh — the chariot of Lord Jagannath. Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik also had a “darshan” of the sibling deities.

The celebrations were somewhat marred by the death of a devotee and eight people falling ill due to suffocation while pulling the chariots on Sunday evening.

“With the blessings of Lord Jagannath, all the rituals have been completed on time on Sunday. A large number of devotees have reached the town to witness the festival and the weather condition has also remained favourable,” said Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja.

The sibling deities ascended their respective chariots after the completion of the three-hour-long “Pahandi” ritual at 2.15 pm.

Amid chants of ‘Jai Jagannath’ by servitors and lakhs of devotees gathered on the Bada Danda (Grand Road) and the sound of gongs, conches and cymbals, Lord Sudarshan was first escorted to ‘Darpadalan’, the chariot of Devi Subhadra.

Following Lord Sudharshan, Lord Balabhadra was taken to his Taladhwaja chariot. Goddess Subhadra, the sister of Lord Jagannath and Lord Balabhadra, was brought to her Darpadalan chariot in the special procession by servitors.

Lord Jagannath was the last to be carried to his chariot ‘Nandighosa’ in the Pahandi Bije ritual.

Descending from the 'Ratna Sinhasana', the bejewelled throne, the three deities were taken out of the temple down the 22 steps known as 'Baisi Pahacha' through the Lion's Gate in the elaborate royal ritual called 'Pahandi'.

A number of customary rituals like 'Mangla Arati' and 'Mailam' were held before the presiding deities set out from the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.

The three majestic chariots started from the Singha Dwar of the temple, facing east towards the Gundicha temple.

Lord Balabhadra leads the chariot procession riding ‘Taladhwaja’. It is followed by Devi Subhadra in Darpadalana. Lord Jagannath goes riding Nandighosa at the end.

Lakhs of devotees have thronged the pilgrim town of Puri to witness the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath and his siblings on Sunday. Special arrangements were made as President Droupadi Murmu also witnessed the Rath Yatra, which will be a two-day affair after 53 years.

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