AGARTALA, June 29 (TIWN): Devotees from all over Tripura celebrating annual Ratha Yatra festival of Lord Jagannath began on Sunday.The festival marks the annual journey of the three deities - Lord Jagannath, his brother Bhalabhadra and sister Subhadra.Amid tight security arrangements, Lord Jagannath’s Rath Yatra began at Agartala Jagannath Bari temple, this morning.

To mark the festival, ‘Maha Rath Yatra’, a vast number of devotees gathered in the temple right from the morning. After a day-long patience, the Maha Rath was finally started journey around 4.30 pm with Lord Balaram, Lord Jagannath and Lord Suvadra.

After setting off from the iconic temple, the rath yatra traversed through Raj path in the city. Thousands of devotees thronged the city streets across the route amid tight security right from early morning to witness the rath yatra. On the occasion, all the devotees prayed for peace, prosperity and rains to the Lords. As a part of the observance of auspicious Rath Jatra festival, the main programme was observed at Melagarh.

Prior to the traverse, all the priests have performed their rituals as per the tradition in the Jagannath Bari temple at Agartala. 

The ceremonial procession of the deities known as "Pahandi" - carrying the deities on chariots out of the temple - started from temple.
The festival ends after nine days when the deities make their way back to the Jagannath temple.

News from Puri Rath Yatra Festival

Amid tight security, the 137th Lord Jagannath’s rathyatra began on Sunday morning, with Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel creating history to be the first female CM to perform the pahindvidhi at Jamalpur’s Jagannath temple.

The chief minsiter reached Jagannath temple at around 6.45 am and performed the ‘Pahind Vidhi’ for the rathyatra with a ‘golden-broom’ (symbolic cleaning of the path for chariot of Lord Jagannath).“On Ashaadhi Dooj (second day of waxing moon cycle in the Hindu month of Ashadh), performed Pahind Vidhi to mark the beginning of Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath,” Anandi Patel said on twitter.

After setting off from the over 400 year-old iconic temple, the rathyatra will traverse through about 14 kilometre route in the city.

As many as 18 elephants led the rath yatra followed by 98 trucks and a participation of 30 akhada and several bhajan mandali the rath yatra will cover a distance of 18 kilometre covering some of the communal sensitive areas of old Ahmedabad city including Dariyapur and Shahpur.Hundrerds of devotees thronged the city streets across the route amid tight security right from early morning to witness the rath yatra that will conclude by evening. The procession halts at Saraspur, where the local people offer ‘Maha Bhoj’ to the entire entourage.

PM Modi, who used to perform ‘Pahind Vidhi’(symbolic path cleaning on chariot of Lord Jagannath) when he was the chief minister of Gujarat, recollected the fond memories and said that he cherished that experience. He was the only chief minister, who performed the ‘Pahind Vidhi’ ritual for record 12 times.

“As Gujarat CM, I had the honour to perform the Pahind Vidhi ritual during the Yatra in Ahmedabad. It is an experience I really cherished,” Modi tweeted.

“We bow to Lord Jagannath on this auspicious day. Today once again he sets out on his chariot, giving blessings to the people…My warm greetings to the people on the occasion of the Rath Yatra that would be held across India today,” Modi said on the microblogging site twitter.

We pray to Lord Jagannath for peace, prosperity and happiness in India. May Lord Jagannath bless us with good monsoon that will help farmers,” Modi said.