A LARGE number of devotees from across the country gathered today in Odisha’s Puri to take the blessings of Lord Jagannath to celebrate the second day of Rath Yatra. The annual Lord Jagannath’s Rath Yatra began in Odisha’s Puri on Sunday. The Rath Yatra, also known as the Chariot Festival, is believed to be as old as the Jagannath Temple in Puri. President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday took part in the annual Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri, one of the significant and eagerly awaited festivals in India.

 

Along with the President, Odisha Governor Raghubar Das, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also took part in the celebrations. Extending wishes to fellow Indians, President Droupadi Murmu, in a post on X said on Sunday, “On the occasion of the world-famous Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, I extend my heartfelt best wishes to all the countrymen. Today, countless Jagannath lovers from all over the country and the world are eagerly waiting to see the three forms of Bhagavat seated on the chariot. On the occasion of this great festival, I pray to Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath for everyone’s happiness, peace and prosperity”.

 

“On the occasion of the holy Rath Yatra, I extend heartfelt greetings and best wishes to everyone. May the boundless compassion of Lord Jagannath bring prosperity to every region of our State, fostering a new and enriched Odisha. This is my prayer,” Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi wrote in a post on X. According to the Hindu calendar, the festival is celebrated on the Dwitiya Tithi of Shukla Paksha (waxing moon fortnight) in the month of Ashadh. The festival is associated with Lord Jagannath, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, and his siblings. During the Yatra, the deities Lord Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra, and his sister Subhadra are carried on wooden chariots from Jagannath Temple to Gundicha Temple in Puri.