7 lakh people throng Puri to celebrate Ratha Jatra after 2 years

Cries of 'Jai Jagannath' rent the air as devotees pulled the chariots of Lord Jagannath and his two divine siblings in this sea-side pilgrim town where around seven lakh people have gathered to celebrate the Ratha Jatra festival on Friday.

General people were not allowed to take part in the festival during the last two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The gigantic chariots Taladwaja, Darpadalan and Nadighosh carrying Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath respectively started their journey from the 12th century Jagannath temple at 4 pm and reached their destination at Sri Gundicha Temple, about three kilometres away, before the sunset.

The deities will remain on chariots overnight and enter their birthplace at Shri Gundicha temple on Saturday evening, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) said.

A tight security ring was thrown and elaborate measures were made by the district administration.

There was no untoward incident and the chariot pulling was completed smoothly with the participation of devotees, DGP SK Bansal said.

Among lakhs of devotees, Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Orissa High Court Chief Justice Dr Muralidhar, pulled the Nandighosh chariot.

Two other union ministers, Ashsini Vaishnaw and Bisheswar Tudy, were also present.

The message of brotherhood from Puri Ratha Jatra is being given to all across the world. It should also reach Ukraine and Russia which should stop fighting and embarrass brotherhood, Governor Ganeshi Lal said.

Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati along with his selected disciples had a darshan of the deities on the chariots as per tradition.

This was followed by Puri's titular king Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb performing the 'chhera pahanra', the ritualistic sweeping of chariots with a golden broom. The chariot sweeping by the titular king gives a message that all, both king and the common men, are equal before the almighty.

We were denied to pull chariot for two previous years. This time we are lucky, said Gagan Behai Dash of Kendrapara, who travelled 100 kilometres on a motorbike to participate in the festival.

Though there was no rain all along the day and the sky was overcast, many people fainted. They were shifted to a hospital through a Green Corridor created by the government.

As many as 10 ambulances and 20 stretchers were ready with about 1,000 volunteers to provide service to the people.

The administration also distributed about 10 lakh face masks among the devotees in its bid to check the spread of coronavirus which has of late started infecting people.

President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and many other dignitaries greeted the people on the occasion.

Ratha Jatra, which marks the nine-day sojourn of Lord Jagannath and his siblings at the Gundichha Temple, is held every year on Dwitiya Tithi of Shukla Paksha in the month of Ashadha according to the Hindu almanack.