WATCH: Thousands of Devotees Converge in India's Odisha for Lord Jagannath's Chariot Festival
14:27 GMT 01.07.2022 (Updated: 10:44 GMT 19.07.2022)
© AP Photo / Ajit SolankiDevotees participate in an annual Rath Yatra, or Chariot procession of Lord Jagannath, in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, July 1, 2022.
© AP Photo / Ajit Solanki
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During the nine-day Jagannath Rath Yatra, or Chariot Festival, three chariots of Lord Jagannath – an incarnation of Lord Vishnu – as well as his sister Devi Subhadra and brother Lord Balabhadra are pulled by followers as part of rituals. They are stationed in front of the Lion Gate of the Jagannath temple in India's Odisha state.
Hundreds of thousands of devotees from different parts of India gathered in Odisha state on Friday to celebrate the commencement of the famous nine-day Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra, also known as the Chariot Festival, with much fanfare.
The chariot procession, which has been allowed after a hiatus of two years due to COVID restrictions, saw a sea of devotees participating with much enthusiasm, seeking the blessings of “the almighty”.
In the morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent his regards via Twitter, "Greetings on the special day of Rath Yatra. We pray to Lord Jagannath for his constant blessings. May we all be blessed with good health and happiness."
With some pulling the ropes of the newly built chariots amid the singing of hymns, and others showcasing their craft by making rangolis - a traditional Indian art form using colored sand or powder to decorate a floor -, social media has been abuzz with videos and photos of devotees celebrating the annual festival in a grand way.
Jai Jagannath !
— ALL INDIA RADIO आकाशवाणी (@AkashvaniAIR) July 1, 2022
Rath Yatra of #LordJagannath #RathYatra2022
Listen live on https://t.co/TliTHFdt5X pic.twitter.com/xye0bruplk
The most awaited festival of Jagannath rath yatra starts today...
— Sanjay Vishwakarma (@SanjayV_INC) July 1, 2022
A thread on 460 years old tradition of divine rath yatra.#RathYatra #RathaYatra2022@RahulGandhi @priyankagandhi @LambaAlka @RiaRevealed pic.twitter.com/084Bd28dU8
The festival is celebrated in different states by parading flower-decorated chariots. Home Minister Amit Shah attended the Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra in his home state of Gujarat in Ahmedabad city on Friday.
The government has also deployed tight security and installed checkpoints to verify vaccination certificates at airports, railway stations, bus terminals, and various other entry and exit points.
“We expect a large gathering of about 10 lakhs on Ratha Yatra as people are allowed to participate in the festival after a gap of two years,” P.K. Jena, who is in charge of Odisha’s Rural Development Department, told the Indian news agency Press Trust of India.
The festival will conclude next week on 9 July.
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