Jagannath Rath Yatra 2025: 8 Glimpses From 2024 That Will Take You Back To The Vibrant Chariot Procession In Puri And Ahmedabad
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Experience the vibrant and spiritual atmosphere of the Jagannath Rath Yatra through these 8 enchanting photos. From the elaborate 'Pahandi' ritual in Puri to the grand celebrations in Ahmedabad, these images capture the essence of devotion and tradition. Dive into the journey of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra as they are paraded in their majestic chariots, surrounded by the fervent chants of devotees. (Picture source: ANI, PTI) https://zeenews.india.com/photos/india/jagannath-rath-yatra-2025-8-glimpses-from-2024-that-will-take-you-back-to-the-vibrant-chariot-procession-in-puri-and-ahmedabad-2918453 Updated:Jun 19, 2025, 03:35 PM IST Schedule And Devotee Turnout
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Lord Balabhadra led the procession, followed by Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath. Lakhs of devotees, including President Droupadi Murmu, thronged Puri to witness the two-day Rath Yatra, a historic event occurring after 53 years. Customary Rituals
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Before the presiding deities set out from the sanctum sanctorum, several customary rituals like 'Mangla Arati' and 'Mailam' were performed. Mangla Aarti
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Union Home Minister Amit Shah conducted the 'Mangla Aarti,' while Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel performed the 'Pahind Vidhi,' the ritual of sweeping the path with a golden broom, as the chariots emerged from the 400-year-old Lord Jagannath temple in the Jamalpur area. Majestic Chariots
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The three majestic chariots stood tall in front of the Singha Dwar of the temple, facing east towards the Gundicha temple in Puri, ready for the procession. Royal Rituals
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Descending from the 'Ratna Sinhasana', the bejewelled throne, the three deities were taken out of the temple down the 22 steps known as 'Baisi Pahacha' through the Lion's Gate in an elaborate royal ritual called 'Pahandi'. Vibrant Atmosphere
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Amid 'Jai Jagannath' chants, the sounds of gongs, conches, and cymbals filled the air at Lion's Gate of the Puri temple, as Lord Sudarshan was first escorted to Darpadalan, the chariot of Devi Subhadra. Procession Order
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Following Lord Sudarshan, Lord Balabhadra was taken to his Taladhwaja chariot, and Goddess Subhadra was brought to her Darpadalan chariot in a special procession by servitors. Lord Jagannath is moved towards the Nandighosa chariot in a ceremonial procession, accompanied by the sounds of gongs, completing the line-up of the deities. Commencement of Pahandi Ritual
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The ceremonial 'Pahandi' ritual of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra commenced around 11 am on Sunday, marking the beginning of the Rath Yatra.
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Hans India
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Thousands of people pulled chariots: Amid chants of ‘Jai Jagannath', Rath Yatra begins in Puri
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Hindustan Times
40 minutes ago
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Hindi imposition row: BJP not backing down, to ‘take truth to people'
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40 minutes ago
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MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government's push for a three-language policy in primary school education has witnessed intense resistance from the Opposition, which has now escalated with Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray preparing to hold a joint protest rally against the 'imposition of Hindi' in the state on July 5. Here is a look at the genesis of language politics, and its fall-out. Mumbai: Commuters pass by a newly put-up poster of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray that reads - "We are Hindus, but not Hindi", near Shiv Sena Bhavan, at Dadar, in Mumbai, Friday, April 18, 2025. The Maharashtra government has decided that Hindi as a third language would be mandatory for students in classes 1 to 5 in Marathi and English-medium schools across the state, in a departure from the practice of studying two languages. (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil) (PTI04_18_2025_000078B) (PTI) Politics and flip-flops over the Hindi mandate On April 16, the Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government declared that Hindi would be made the mandatory third language from Classes 1 to 5 in government and private schools. The move was part of phased implementation of the union government's National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 at the primary school level, from the 2025-26 academic year. Soon after it was announced, it triggered strong opposition from political, social and cultural groups; and such was the pressure that the decision was amended. On April 20, CM Fadnavis announced that Hindi would not after all be compulsory and students could opt for any other regional language. On June 17, a fresh order was issued which stated, 'Hindi will generally be the third language in Marathi- and English-medium schools from Classes 1 to 5.' However, it came with a rider: students would be allowed to opt for any other language apart from Marathi provided there are at least 20 students taking that language in the school and a separate teacher is appointed to teach the language. Why is it being opposed? Those opposing the move called it an indirect imposition of Hindi. They also argued that it may be a tall order for a school to get 20 students choosing to study a different language; and additionally, schools may not be able to provide separate teachers to teach different languages. The government's conditions are such that students would perforce be led to study Hindi, they felt. Uddhav Thackeray equated the decision with the Emergency, while Raj Thackeray urged schools against following the government order as he felt 'an imposition of Hindi was an anti-Maharashtra activity'. State Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal accused Fadnavis of 'stabbing in the heart of Maharashtra and Marathi language'. 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And now, ahead of the local body polls – especially that of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), and other local bodies in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) – the idea of Marathi identity through a fight against the imposition of Hindi has given both a renewed energy to fire up Marathi pride in among people. The reason behind BJP's push despite opposition The BJP has been firm on its mandate. On Thursday, the party decided to take the Thackeray brothers head-on, arguing that it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had ensured that Marathi be elevated as a classical language. Pushing Hindi in schools also will help the party garner north Indian votes en masse in MMR, said BJP insiders. North Indians are the second largest linguistic group in the region after Marathis. The way forward Following pushback from Opposition parties, on June 23, Fadnavis announced that the government would seek the views of language experts, litterateurs and political parties before arriving at a final decision, and asked school education minister Dada Bhuse to consult with concerned individuals and organisations. BJP ally Shiv Sena has so far been supporting the decision, while the Ajit Pawar-led NCP has said it would prefer mandatory Hindi from Class 5. Meanwhile, NCP (SP) has decided to team up with Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS in their rally against 'Hindi imposition' on July 5, while Congress said it will take a decision soon. The language issue is likely to dominate the monsoon session of the state legislature, which begins in Mumbai on Monday.
