Puri: The Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra began on Tuesday in Odisha's Puri. A large number of devotees were seen pulling the giant chariots of Lord Jagannath and His two siblings, Balabhadra and Subhadra. The pahandi (procession) started at 9.30 am. Governor Ganeshi Lal and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik started the procession by pulling the ropes connecting the main Jagannath chariot.
During the procession, the priests surrounded Gods and were rhythmically beating brass cymbals and hand drums. The priests and the devotees chanted 'Jai Jagannath' and 'Haribol'. A million devotees are estimated to have converged on this town for the annual car festival. Earlier in the day, the Gajapati Maharaja of Puri, Divya Singha Deb ritualistically swept the chariots with a golden broom, as priests sprinkled flowers and fragrant water.
Also read: Odisha: Significance of Jagannath Rath Yatra
The big brother Lord Balabhadra was the first to come out of the temple followed by Lady Subhadra and later Lord Jagannath himself. While Lord Balabhadra was seated on the Taladwaj chariot, Lord Jagannath adorned the chariot named Nandighosh, and Chakra Raj Sudarsan was seated at the chariot of Lady Subhadra's Darpadalan chariot.
The district administration and the police had made elaborate arrangements to ensure the success of the Rath Yatra, During the procession, several people were reportedly injured in a stampede during the pulling of the Taladhwaja chariot at Marichikote Chhak. Officials said that five of them were rushed to a hospital for treatment using a special green corridor created for shifting patients from the crowded route to medical centres and hospitals elsewhere.
Meanwhile, President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and others greeted people on their Twitter handles on the occasion of Lord Jagannath's Rath Yatra and prayed for happiness and peace of the people. (With agency inputs)
