'Jai Jagannath': Wheels of the Rath Yatra roll again after two-year hiatus
The Rath Yatra, which marks the nine-day sojourn of Lord Jagannath and his siblings at the Gundichha Temple, began on Friday. It is held every year on Dwitiya Tithi of Shukla Paksha in the month of Ashadha
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The nine-day annual Jagannath Rath Yatra began on Friday. The three chariots will be pulled in front of the iconic Jagannath temple in the holy town of Puri, Odisha, in full public view for the first time in two years as devotees were denied entry in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemi. CNN-News18
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Ratha Jatra, which marks the nine-day sojourn of Lord Jagannath and his siblings at the Gundichha Temple, is held every year on Dwitiya Tithi of Shukla Paksha in the month of Ashadha according to the Hindu almanac. CNN-News18
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The ‘Pahandi’ or the ceremonial procession of the deities was scheduled to be held was 9.30 am but began at 7 am. The rituals like ‘Mangala Alati’, ‘Abakash’, ‘Sakala Dhoopa’ and ‘Mangalarpan’ were also completed much before the schedule this year. CNN-News18
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‘Bada Thakuara’ or Lord Balabhadra, was the first to come out of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple followed by Devi Subhadra, Lord Sudarshan and Lord Jagannath in a ceremonial procession called Dhadi (Line) Pahandi. The Pahandi of all deities was completed by around 9 am. The deities were seated on their chariots - ‘Taladwaja’, ‘Darpadalan’ and ‘Nandighosh’. ANI
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The enthusiasm among the servitors of the 12th century shrine of Lord Vishnu was visible as all the time consuming rituals were completed before the scheduled hour. Sounds of gongs and cymbals reverberated in the air and devotees from across the country and abroad thronged the area around the Lion gate for a glimpse of the deities on the chariots. CNN-News18
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Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati along with his selected disciples had a darshan of the deities on the chariots as per tradition. This was followed by Puri’s titular king Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb performing the ‘chhera pahanra’, the ritualistic sweeping of chariots with a golden broom. The pulling of the chariots began after it. CNN-News18
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Puri’s titular king Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb performing the ‘chhera pahanra’, the ritualistic sweeping of chariots with a golden broom. CNN-News18
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Odisha police have made the biggest-ever security arrangement for Rath Yatra this year considering it is taking place after two years of a break due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Police personnel on duty have been asked to stay alert and neutralise any kinds of possible terror threats during the nine-day festival. CNN-News18
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Meanwhile, the 145th Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath commenced in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad on Friday. PTI
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Devotees participate in the annual Rath Yatra, or Chariot procession of Lord Jagannath, in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, 1 July, 2022. AP
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Lakhs of devotees from across the state have converged in the city to join the procession and catch a glimpse of the deity and experience the fervour of the religious yatra. AP
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Monks of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) give final touches to a chariot ahead of ‘Rath Yatra’ festival, in Kolkata on Thursday. PTI
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