Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath organised with traditional fervour in Visakhapatnam

Scores of devotees participate in the celebrations

An artist performing during the ratha yatra organised by ISKCON in Visakhapatnam on Friday, July 01, 2022. | Photo Credit: K.R. DEEPAK

The annual Rath Yatra of Sri Jagannatha Swamy was celebrated in a grand manner by ISKCON-Visakhapatnam here on Friday.

The chariots, carrying the deities Lord Jagannath along with Balabhadra and Subhadra, started their journey from the Central Park, opposite the Visakha Government Women’s College, amidst the chanting of Vedic hymns by the priests.

Devotees performing ‘Kolatam’, while participating in the rath yatra organised by ISKCON in Visakhapatnam on Friday. | Photo Credit: K.R. DEEPAK

The road before the chariot was swept with a golden broom. Coconuts were broken and special Arati was offered to the deities to mark the commencement of the chariot procession.

Earlier, scores of devotees participated in the celebrations and offered prayers to the deities before the start of the Rath Yatra. Many devotees took pictures of the celebrations on their mobile phones. Nadaswaram and Kolatam groups performed before the chariots.

The Rath Yatra road was decorated with rangoli by devotees from Pune. Many devotees came from various ISKCON temples from across the globe to perform cultural activities during the procession. Foreign devotees from Brazil and America sang special kirtans.

ISKCON Vizag president Samba Das Prabhuji and Nitai Sevini Mataji presided.

Minister for Industries and IT Gudivada Amarnath, former Minister Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao, Mayor G. Hari Venkata Kumari, MLA s Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu and Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar, MLC s Varudhu Kalyani and Vamsikrishna Srinivas were present.

‘Pulihora’ and dry kaju prasadam were distributed to devotees all along the way. The yatra reached Gurajada Kalakshetram, where the idols of deities were kept at a specially decorated ‘mandir’.

Samba Das Prabhuji and Nitai Sevini mataji gave a discourse on Lord Jagannath. Soulful kirtans were rendered by devotees. Naivedya was offered to Lord Jagannath and the prasadam was distributed to devotees. The event ended with serving of dinner prasadam to around 6,000 devotees.

Utkal Samaj: Rath Yatra was celebrated with tradition fervour and gaiety by members of Utkal Sanskrutika Samaj at Dasapalla Hills on Friday.

The idols of the deities were taken in a colourful chariot from the main temple at Dasapalla Hills to the Gundicha Ghar at Lawson’s Bay Colony through the VMRDA Children’s Arena, AU, China Waltair and Shanti Ashram.

Divisional Railway Manager Anup Satpathy and ADRM Manoj Kumar Sahoo along with president of the Samaj JK Nayak, secretary Bimal Mahanta, members Bijay Mahapatra and RP Sahu participated in the ‘Pahandi Bije’ ritual.

After the traditional ‘Chhera Pahnara’ (cleaning of the chariot) by Lal Sahab Pramod Deo Bhanja of the erstwhile Daspalla royalty, the chariot was drawn by devotees amidst kirtans, music and chanting of ‘Hari bol’.

The ‘Ghanta troupe’ from Brahmapur, Odisha, played the cymbals.