Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra 2024: The ceremonial 'Pahandi' ritual of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra commenced today (July 7). Amid 'Jai Jagannath' chants, sounds of gongs, conches and cymbals reverberated through the air at Lion's Gate of the Puri temple as Lord Sudarshan was first escorted to Darpadalan, the chariot of Devi Subhadra.
Following Lord Sudharshan, Lord Balabhadra was being taken to his Taladhwaja chariot. Goddess Subhadra, the sister of Lord Jagannath and Lord Balabhadra, was being brought to her Darpadalan chariot in the special procession by servitors.
President Droupadi Murmu is present to witness the Rath Yatra in Puri, along with millions of devotees from across India. The festival offers a vibrant and spiritual experience for the lakhs of devotees who will gather to witness this auspicious occasion. This year, the event will be held for two days due to specific celestial arrangements.
Visuals showcsed the chariots of Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra decorated and lined along the wide avenue in front of the temple, near its eastern entrance, also known as the Sinhadwara or the Lion's Gate.
Large number of devotees flock to Puri
The chariots are newly constructed each year from wood of specified trees, crafted by a specialist team of hereditary carpenters. Puri Superintendent of Police (SP) Pinak Mishra spoke about the chariot festival, saying, "Today we are celebrating the world-famous Rath Yatra of Lord Sri Jagannath. As anticipated, a large number of devotees will flock to Puri to participate in this Yatra. We have made extensive police arrangements and divided them into several important segments."
He added that specific security arrangements are in place for President Droupadi Murmu's visit, including crowd control, traffic management, and parking. The SP also mentioned coordination with the Coast Guard, Coastal Security, and Railway Security for the event. Heavy security personnel have been deployed in the district in view of the revered Yatra and President Murmu's visit to attend the celebrations.
Thousands of devotees queued up at the temple premises on Sunday morning ahead of the Yatra. According to the Hindu calendar, the festival is celebrated on the Dwitiya Tithi of Shukla Paksha (waxing moon fortnight) in the month of Ashadh. The Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra is scheduled to be celebrated today, July 7, 2024. The festival is associated with Lord Jagannath, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, and his siblings.
Chariot Festival celebrations
During the Yatra, the deities Lord Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra, and his sister Subhadra are carried on wooden chariots from Jagannath Temple to Gundicha Temple in Puri. The Rath Yatra, also known as the Chariot Festival, is believed to be as old as the Jagannath Temple in Puri.
The festival is celebrated with great fanfare from New Zealand to London and South Africa, encompassing the onward journey of the Holy Trinity to their maternal aunt, Goddess Gundicha Devi's Temple, and culminating with the return journey after eight days. In reality, the festival stretches from the day of Akshaya Tritiya and culminates with the return of the journey of the Holy Trinity to the Shree Mandir premises.
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