Bahuda Yatra celebrated with pomp and fanfare in USA’s Indiana

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KalingaTV News Network

Indianapolis: Hundreds of devotees from across the country witnessed Lord Jagannath’s Bahuda Yatra – the return car festival – which was held at the Hindu Temple of Central Indiana (HTCI) in Indiana in USA with much pomp and fanfare on July 22. The festival has been organised by The Jagannath Association of Indiana (JAI), USA.

The three deities – Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Lord Balabhadra and their sister Devi Subhadra ended their annual nine-day sojourn and returned to the Jagannath temple on a majestic chariot during the Bahuda Yatra.

After completion of several rituals such as Mangal Arati and Archana in the morning, Pahandi began at 11 AM with devotees carrying the deities from the temple to the Ratha on the Palki. The real excitement of the devotees could be seen with chants of “Jai Jagannath” and reverberations of the ghantas.

The HTCI executive president Krishnakumar Padmanabhan performed the Chhera Panhara ritual, marking the start of the Ratha pulling. People of all ages pulled the Ratha around the temple building amid gaiety and devotion. Subsequently, the deities were brought to the main Jagannath temple.

The temple kitchen prepared a special Odia food platter containing rice, daal, bhajja, paratha, halwa for prasad sevan on the occasion.

Later, a cultural programme was held,in which local Odia people performed bhajans, classical dances etc.

Rajkishore Una played a key role to make the festival a grand success in the city. The Odia diaspora living in Indiana, USA feels blessed and privileged to be able to celebrate Ratha Yatra in spite of being far away from the homeland.

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