Saturday, July 14, marks the 141st Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath. The Rath Yatra began in the morning amidst tight security. The chariots started the journey from Ahmedabad’s Jamalpur area’s 400 year old Jagannath Temple and embarked on an 18 kilometre journey through the old city.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (B. J. P.) President Amit Shah performed the mangal aarti of the Jagannath figurine in the early hours of the day before the journey began. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Deputy chief Minister Nitin Patel performed the ritual ‘Pahind Vidhi’ wherein they symbolically cleaned the pathway of the chariot with golden brooms.
The chariots of Lord Jagannath, his brother Balaram and his sister Subhadra were followed by a procession consisting 18 elephants decorated for the ceremony, 101 trucks with illustrations, members of 30 different religious groups and 18 musical troupes.
The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi tweeted:
“Greetings on the auspicious occasion of Rath Yatra. With the blessings of Lord Jagannath may our country scale new heights of growth. May every Indian be happy and prosperous. Jai Jagannath!”
The Rath Yatra ceremony is celebrated every year on the second day of Ashadh month, according to the Hindu calendar. The day is called Ashadhi Bij. Ashadh resembles the first monsoon month according to the Hindu calendar.
This year the procession will cover 18 kilometres and pass through some of the communally charged localities including Jamalpur, Kalupur, Shahpur and Dariyapur.
The Gujarat government has deployed 20,200 security personnel from police, home Guards, State Reserve Police and paramilitary forces. They have been stationed at strategic locations to avoid and manage unprecedented incidents during the Yatra.
The Rath Yatra will supposedly end at 8.30 P. M. when the chariot will make a city tour and return back to the temple.
