BHUBANESWAR: Keeping the culture and tradition of the state alive on a foreign soil, the Odia diaspora in Bahrain celebrated Lord Jagannath’s Rath Yatra with devotional fervour on Sunday.
The chariot festival was celebrated by Bahrain Odia Samaj and Iskcon Bahrain in the famous Shrinathji Temple at Manama amid huge fanfare.
Bahrain Odia Samaj founder Arun Kumar Praharaj performed the ‘Chhera Pahanra’ ritual of the Trinity on the chariot.
Praharaj said the Odia Samaj is celebrating Rath Yatra in Bahrain for the last two and half decades.
“The Rath Yatra was celebrated as per the rituals and tradition of Srimandir in Puri. The chariot pulling started after Pahandi Bije and Chhera Pahanra. Mahaprasad sevan and sankirtan programme were also organised on the occasion,” he said.
Praharaj said around 10,000 devotees including thousands from the Odia community joined the car festival that was being celebrated with pomp and gaiety.
Representatives of Indian ambassador Ravi Jain also attended it.