Rath Yatra 2023: Devotees Gather in Puri Amid Heavy Rain
Celebration of Rath Yatra in Puri
Early morning scene from Jagannath Dham, Puri (Photo: 'X'/ @AkashvaniAIR)
Puri, July 16: The chariots of Lord Jagannath and his siblings are set to traverse the Grand Road of this coastal pilgrimage town on Thursday, with nearly 200,000 devotees arriving to partake in the annual Rath Yatra, despite the heavy rainfall.
Authorities have implemented extensive security measures to ensure safety and have addressed potential waterlogging issues along the chariot route.
On the eve of this renowned festival, Puri experienced a significant rainfall of 143.8 mm, prompting the weather department to issue alerts for further rain and thunderstorms on Thursday.
To ensure a seamless procession, special measures have been taken to remove rainwater from the Grand Road, where devotees will pull the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra, covering a distance of approximately 2.6 km from the 12th-century temple to the Shree Gundicha temple.
The chariot pulling will commence at 4 pm following the traditional chariot sweeping ceremony conducted by Puri's titular king, Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, along with a visit from Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati, as confirmed by a temple official.
The temple town is under a comprehensive security arrangement, with around 13,000 personnel from state police, central forces, the Indian Navy, and the Coast Guard deployed, focusing on crowd control, traffic management, and emergency response, according to officials.
Rituals to bring the idols out of the temple and place them on the chariots are scheduled between 9 am and 1 pm.
Last year's Rath Yatra saw a tragic incident where three individuals lost their lives and many were injured in a stampede near the Gundicha temple, which is regarded as the birthplace of the sibling deities. A special plan has been devised this year to prevent a recurrence of such incidents, an official stated.