The holy city of Puri is all set for tomorrow’s world-famous Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath. Following yesterday’s sacred Naba Jaubana Darshan, elaborate ritualistic, administrative and security arrangements have been completed for the annual chariot festival.

 

With the sacred chants of ‘Jai Jagannath’ reverberating across the holy city, Puri is poised to witness tomorrow the grand Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Sudarshan, one of the world’s largest and most revered religious festivals.

 

The annual sojourn symbolises the divine journey of the sibling deities from the Shree Jagannath Temple to the Shree Gundicha Temple, revered by devotees as the abode of Mausi Maa, or the Lord’s maternal aunt. Lakhs of pilgrims from across the country and abroad have converged on Puri to participate in the sacred chariot festival.

 

Following yesterday’s Naba Jaubana Darshan, spiritual fervour in the pilgrim city has reached its peak. The three majestic chariots, Nandighosha, Taladhwaja and Darpadalana, have been beautifully adorned and ready to be positioned before the Singhadwara of the temple.

 

Tomorrow’s rituals will commence with the ceremonial ‘Pahandi Bije’, followed by the traditional ‘Chhera Pahanra’, during which the Gajapati Maharaja of Puri Diby Singh Deb will ceremonially sweep the chariot platforms with a golden broom before devotees pull the chariots along the Grand Road.

 

The Odisha Government has made elaborate arrangements for crowd management, security, healthcare, sanitation, traffic regulation and emergency response. Thousands of security personnel, supported by Central Armed Police Forces, AI-enabled surveillance systems, drones and an extensive CCTV network, have been deployed to ensure the smooth and peaceful conduct of the festival.

 

As the sacred city awaits the divine journey of the sibling deities to their revered aunt’s abode, Puri stands ready to celebrate the timeless festival with profound devotion, centuries-old tradition and meticulous preparation.

 

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall across several parts of Odisha due to the formation of a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal, raising the possibility of related disruptions during tomorrow’s Rath Yatra celebrations, even as the administration has put comprehensive contingency measures in place.