Over 15 lakh devotees witness Lord Jagannath’s regal Rath Yatra in Puri

By Saroj Behera

Puri, June 20: Braving sweltering heat, over 15 lakh devotees from across the country and abroad on Tuesday thronged Odisha’s pilgrim city Puri to witness Lord Jagannath’s majestic annual Rath Yatra festival. The deities, as per the schedule of Jagannath Temple Administration (JTA), were brought onto the chariots in Pahandi or holy procession by the temple priests after performance of morning rituals.

The chanting of ‘Jai Jagannath’ by the priests and devotees filled the sky with an air of spiritualism. Musicians playing instruments like gong bells (ghanta) bells, cymbals, trumpets and mridangam as well as men and women Odissi dancers performing in front of the chariots to the spiritually charged atmosphere.

The devotees erupted in joy and ecstasy after they were allowed to pull the chariots following the puja performed on the chariots by Sankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati and Chhera Panhara ritual conducted by Gajapati King Dibyasingha Deb.

Chhera Panhara is a unique ritual which requires the Gajapati King to sweep the chariots with gold-plated broomsticks as a mark of total surrender to the service of the deities.

Also known as Car Festival, Rath Yatra marks the annual journey of Lord Jagannath and His siblings – elder brother Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra – from Srimandir to Gundicha Mandir for a sojourn of nine days.

Gundicha Mandir is the aunt’s place of Lord Jagannath.

After spending nine days at their aunt’s place, the deities return to Srimandir. The return journey is known as Bahuda Yatra.

The sea of devotees jostled to have a glimpse of the deities on the chariots. There is a strong belief among the devotees that a darshan of the deities on the chariots absolve them of all their wrong doings and help get released from rebirth.

The administration put in place an elaborate security arrangement for smooth conduct of the festival. As many as 180 platoons of security forces, including Rapid Action Force, were deployed to ensure law and order.

The Indian Air Force and Navy guarded the city in the sea and from above the sky. Interceptor vessels were deployed in the Bay of Bengal that flanks the city on the north. Similarly, the Indian Air Force’s helicopters hovered over the metropolis keeping a vigil from the sky.

A host of dignitaries, including Odisha governor Professor Ganeshi Lal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Ashwini Baishnaw; Pradesh Congress Committee president Sarat Patnaik, several ministers, state chief secretary P K Jena, judges and senior government officials were present in the city to witness the majestic spiritual journey of Lord Jagannath and His siblings.