BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday thanked devotees, servitors, police personnel, government officials and volunteers for ensuring the successful completion of this year’s Rath Yatra in Puri despite prolonged spells of heavy rain.
The nine-day festival concluded with Niladri Bije on Monday. Majhi said the world’s largest festival, deeply associated with the faith of millions of Jagannath devotees, was conducted smoothly with the blessings of Lord Jagannath.
“Although adverse weather caused minor delays in the rituals, all ceremonies from Nabajaubana Darshan to Niladri Bije were completed with devotion and discipline,” the chief minister said. He particularly appreciated the servitors for performing the temple rituals with dedication under difficult conditions.
Majhi also praised the role of the state police, noting that more than 13,500 personnel were deployed to manage security and crowd control during the festival.
He said the disciplined conduct of lakhs of pilgrims contributed significantly to the peaceful conduct of Rath Yatra, Suna Besha and Niladri Bije.
Expressing gratitude to devotees, servitors and voluntary organisations associated with the festival, the chief minister said the state government was committed to promoting Jagannath culture while transforming Puri into a world-class religious and tourism destination.
He said several infrastructure projects, including the proposed international airport at Puri, the Shree Jagannath Museum and Research Centre, the marine aquarium and the Shree Jagannath Heritage Corridor at Shree Jagannath Dham (Shamuka) project, aimed at enhancing the city’s tourism appeal.
Referring to the recent decision to upgrade Puri into a municipal corporation, Majhi said the move would improve civic amenities and enable better public services for residents as well as the millions of pilgrims and tourists visiting the holy city every year.