Aerial footage of the ongoing festival showcases the sea of devotees swarming to witness the three deities in their chariots.
Millions have thronged to witness this most awaited annual event
Indian President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi also greeted the nation at the commencement of the 9-day festival in Odisha’s Puri city.
The festival is dedicated to Lord Jagannath, his brother Balbhadra and sister Subhadra, whose statues are carried on three wooden chariots from the Shree Jagannath Temple to the Mausima Temple, covering a distance of three kilometres in giant makeshift temples. The festivities involving various Hindu rituals will last for days before the statues are returned to the Shree Jagannath Temple.