‘Jai Jagannath’ chant rends the air

VISAKHAPATNAM: Scores of devotees thronged the Jagannath temples in the city to celebrate the annual Rath Yatra on Sunday. Going by the rituals and traditions being followed at the Puri Rath Yatra, a well-adorned chariot carrying the processional deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra were pulled by the devotees the temple in One Town area, among the oldest temples of Lord Jagannath in the city.

The chariot reached the police barracks where many people gathered to have darshan of the deities.

The ISKON temple chariot was pulled from Rushikonda to the Beach Road. Along the procession route, hundreds of devotees sang bhajans in praise of the Lord.

The auspicious car festival was celebrated by the devotees amid musical instruments like mridang, cymbals and conches playing at Ukkunagaram.

Donned in traditional costumes of a king, RINL chairman and managing director P Madhusudan performed ‘Chherapanhara’ (sweeping of the chariot) with golden broom.

Bhajans and dance troupes performed along the Yatra route. Cultural programmes, Sambalpuri folk dance and Odissi were performed in the evening in the township.

The chariot festival will be celebrated with spiritual, cultural and social activities, culminating with Bahuda Yatra and Samaradhana on July 5.