Odisha: To celebrate the auspicious and famous chariot festival Jagannath Rath Yatra, sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has made beautiful art with sand at Puri beach. A video is doing round on social media, wherein, chariots of lord Jagannath and his siblings Balabhadra and Subhadra can be seen. This festival is celebrated with great pomp and splendour in the state of Odisha. It is dedicated to Lord Jagannath who is said to be a form of Lord Krishna along with his siblings Balabhadra and Subhadra.
Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra
This Yatra is the biggest yatra in not only in India but in the world. Millions of devotees from around the world gather around Odisha at this time to be a part of the grand celebration. The Yatra involves a procession of Lord Jagannath along with his siblings in specially crafted chariots, which are known as raths. These chariots are constructed for the yatra every year and thousands of devotees gather to pull it using ropes. The Rath Yatra is basically a journey from the Jagannath temple to the Gundicha temple in Puri, Odisha. The temples are located 3 kilometres away from each other.
PM Modi on the festival
Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier on Sunday during his radio programme 'Mann ki Baat' said that the festival reflects the true spirit of Ek Bharat-Shreshtha Bharat. “My dear countrymen, the historical Rath Yatra on June 20 bears a unique identity throughout the world,” he said in the 102nd episode of 'Mann Ki Baat’.
He further recalled his days in Gujarat when he used to get the opportunity to attend the Yatra in Ahmedabad. “The way people from all over the country, every society, every class turn up in these Rath Yatras is exemplary in itself. Along with inner faith, it is also a reflection of the spirit of Ek Bharat- Shreshtha Bharat”.
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