Rath Yatra Sans Devotees In Puri This Year

By Abhilasha On Jun 10, 2021 0

Puri: The annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath and his siblings began in Odisha's Puri on June 23, 2020. The annual festival is being celebrated after the Supreme Court's nod to organise it in a limited way without public attendance, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The priests performed the "Mangala Aarti" early in the morning. Amid blowing of conches and beating of cymbals, the ceremonial procession of the deities known as "Pahandi" - carrying the deities on chariots out of the temple -- took place. The festival marks the annual journey of the three deities -- Lord Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra -- from the 12th century Jagannath temple to the Gundicha temple. (Photo: IANS)

Bhubaneswar: Amid the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Odisha government has banned Rath Yatra celebrations at all places in the state except Puri.

The Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Pradeep Jena on Thursday said that the festival will be held without the participation of devotees at Jagannath Temple in Puri

The restrictions imposed during the last year’s Rath Yatra will remain in force this year. The devotees who will particpate in the Rath Yatra will have to submit RT-PCR test and then only COVID negative and fully vaccinated servitors will take part,” informed SRC

During Rath Yatra curfew will be imposed in entire Puri. Live telecast feed of the festival will be supplied to media outlets, he added.

The SRC further said that other temples can only observe the rituals.