[ India Today ] Puri Rath Yatra begins, President Droupadi Murmu joins festival

The annual Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra began in the seaside pilgrim town of Puri in Odisha on Sunday. This year, the festival is a two-day affair, a first since 1971. The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, joined the lakhs of devotees participating in the yatra. The Chief Minister Mohan Majhi-led Odisha government made special arrangements for her visit.

During the festival, the idols of Lord Jagannath, along with his siblings Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, are placed on grand chariots and pulled by devotees through the streets. This procession begins at the Jagannath Temple and ends at the Gundicha Temple, covering a distance of about 3 kilometers.

In a departure from tradition, some of the rituals related to the festival were also held in a single day. These rituals include ‘Nabajouban Darshan’ and ‘Netra Utsav’, which are generally held ahead of the Rath Yatra. The Odisha state government made elaborate arrangements for smooth and timely conduct of the annual festival.

However, a stampede-like situation occurred during the annual Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra, injuring many devotees. One person was critically injured during the ‘pulling of the chariot’ ceremony. Emergency services present at the scene rushed the injured to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Source: Conversation with Copilot
Puri Rath Yatra begins, President Droupadi Murmu to join festival.
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/puri-jagannath-rath-yatra-odisha-president-droupadi-murmu-join-festival-2563440-2024-07-07.