Jagannath Yatra 2023: The 146th Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath was held on Tuesday morning in Gujarat's Ahmedabad. Lakhs of devotees flocked the 18-km route of the procession to catch a glimpse of the deity. A heartening scene was spotted during the Yatra when a group of Muslim community sitting at a stage built on the roadside welcomed the yatra manifesting communal harmony between Hindus and Muslims. The chariots of Lord Jagannath, his brother Balbhadra and sister Subhadra embarked on the yatra from the 400-year-old Jagannath Temple in Jamalpur area.
Earlier, Home Minister Amit Shah and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel offered prayers ahead of the yatra's beginning. CM Patel attended 'Pahind Vidhi', a symbolic ritual of cleaning the way for the chariots using a golden broom.
3D mapping technology for security
The Gujarat Police for the first time in the Rath Yatra used 3D mapping technology to monitor the entire route and also deployed anti-drone technology to ensure no unauthorised drones are used during the event, as per a senior police official. More than 26,000 personnel drawn from the city police, Home Guards, State Reserve Police and para-military forces were deployed at strategic locations along the 18-km-long yatra route to prevent any untoward incident, as per officials.
Amit Shah performs 'mangla aarti'
Before the annual event started, Shah performed 'mangla aarti' (auspicious ritual to pay obeisance to the deity) in the temple early Tuesday morning.
Besides the three chariots, the procession comprised nearly 15 decorated elephants, 100 trucks with tableaux and singing troupes.
The Rath Yatra is taken out every year on Ashadhi Bij, the second day of Ashad month, as per the Hindu calendar.
The procession will return to the temple by 8.30 pm on Tuesday after passing through the Old City, including some communally sensitive areas like Jamalpur, Kalupur, Shahpur and Dariyapur.
(With PTI inputs)
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