Devotees Gather For Grand Rath Yatra Of Lord Jagannath In Puri

Bhubaneswar:

A large crowd of devotees has gathered at Puri’s Jagannath Temple for Lord Jagannath’s Rath Yatra that will commence on Friday. Jagannath Rath Yatra, also known as the Chariot Festival or Shree Gundicha Yatra, is a major Hindu festival celebrated annually in Odisha.

It is observed on Dwitiya Tithi — the second day of the (Shukla Paksha) of the lunar month — a time considered spiritually auspicious due to the increasing brightness of the moon.

Renowned scholar on Jagannath culture, Suryanarayan Rath Sharma, speaking on the Rath Yatra, told IANS, “The Rath Yatra is the most ancient chariot festival in the world… It is believed that having darshan of Lord Jagannath during this Yatra grants a devotee moksha.”

The devotees have gathered by the millions for the famous Ratha Yatra, as Lord Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra, and sister Subhadra prepare to embark on their nine-day sojourn from their abode, the 12th-century shrine, to Gundicha Temple today.