Rath Yatra celebrated with devotion in Vizianagaram, Parvatipuram
PARVATIPURAM
Hundreds of devotees offered special prayers to Lord Jagannath Swamy and participated in the celestial annual Rath Yatra in Vizianagaram on Friday. Devotees pulled the chariot from Lord Jagannath Swamy temple to Sri Kanyakaparameswari temple where it was stationed for devotees to offer prayers till evening.. Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and the Goddess Subhadra's wooden idols were decorated with flowers. The Lord Jagannath Swamy temple which is said to be over 800 years old witnessed a huge rush of devotees.
Representatives of the Jagannath Seva Samithi including Kapuganti Prakash, Dadi Bhaskara Rao, priest Phaniram Pawan Kalyan Manikantha and others made elaborate arrangements to ensure devotees could have smooth darshan.
In Parvatipuram, the Ratha Yatra organised was equally grand and drew a large number of pilgrims on Friday. Minister for Agriculture K. Atchannaidu, Parvatipuram MLA Bonela Vijaya Chandra pulled the celestial chariot and offered prayers to Lord Jagannath Swamy. Mr. Vijaya Chandra said that Parvatipuram which is the gateway for Odisha would celebrate the festival as per the traditions and culture of the Puri Jagannath Swamy temple.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Women pull Devi Subhadra's chariot in Berhampur
Berhampur: Women took centre stage at the Rath Yatra in Gosaninuagaon here as they exclusively pulled the chariot of Devi Subhadra. The unique practice, which mirrors a similar tradition in Mayurbhanj district's Baripada, has been a part of Berhampur's Rath Yatra celebrations since 2000. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The tradition of women pulling Subhadra's chariot began in Baripada in 1975. The silk city followed suit, offering women the opportunity to actively participate in the festival. Organisers said the number of women participating has grown each year, reflecting their enthusiasm and commitment. Panchanan Choudhury, manager of the Jagannath Temple Development Committee in Gosaninuagaon, highlighted the significance of the practice. "The temple committee has reserved Devi Subhadra's chariot for women to ensure they have a chance to participate in Rath Yatra," he said. The event was inaugurated by Sanghamitra Dalei, mayor of Berhampur Municipal Corporation, and K Rama Devi, wife of Berhampur MLA K Anil Kumar, who led the procession by pulling Devi Subhadra's chariot. The MLA commenced the pulling of Lord Jagannath's chariot. The procession, which covered a distance of around 1.5km from the temple to the Gundicha Temple, was conducted under tight security. SP (Berhampur), Saravana Vivek M, said adequate women police officers were deployed to ensure safety and manage the crowds. Dalei said, "Women do not have to jostle with their male counterparts to get closer to the chariot. The arrangement also protects them from potential harassment."
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Lessons learnt, ‘Pahandi' takes place smoothly
1 2 3 Puri: There was relief all round as 'Pahandi', a key ceremonial procession involving the transfer of idols from the shrine to the chariots, passed off smoothly. Officials were particularly concerned due to last year's incident, when Lord Balabhadra's idol slipped from servitors' grasp and fell on the 'Charamala', a slanting walkway made of palm logs, while being transferred from the Taladhwaja chariot to Gundicha Temple, two days after Rath Yatra. "Following revised standard operating procedures, dedicated Pahandi groups comprising skilled servitors were established. The Charamala's structure was enhanced with increased width, allowing servitors to safely transport the substantially heavy wooden idols onto the chariots," said Arabinda Kumar Padhee, chief administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration. Despite concerns about the 'Charamala' becoming slippery due to the light rain, the servitors completed 'Pahandi' without facing any hurdle. "We will ensure that the Pahandi is performed in the same disciplined manner when the deities are escorted to Gundicha Temple from the chariots," Padhee said. Learning from last year, the administration had recently announced that only authorised servitors would be permitted to perform 'Pahandi' and board the chariots. "The implementation failed (last year) as servitors exceeded prescribed numbers during Pahandi. The chariots were overcrowded. The temple administration failed to evict unauthorised servitors from chariots," said Binayak Mishra, a local devotee. Puri district collector and temple's deputy chief administrator, Siddharth Shankar Swain, said, "All rituals including Pahandi were performed smoothly. After the festival, we will check CCTV footage to see if any ineligible person had boarded the chariot."
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Tribals pull ‘tallest' chariot in Keonjhar
Keonjhar: Thousands of devotees converged in Keonjhar town on Friday to participate in Rath Yatra. The chariot of Lord Balabhadra, considered the world's 'tallest' chariot, became the focal point of celebrations, drawing crowds from far and wide. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Festivities commenced in the afternoon as servitors performed 'Dhadi Pahandi' ritual, ceremoniously escorting the deities from the temple to the chariot amid religious chants, creating a sanctified atmosphere. Panchanan Sahu, a servitor and caretaker of the temple, said, "This morning, we conducted rituals for the deities in the temple. In the afternoon, the deities were beautifully decorated and brought out in a traditional procession by the Pahandi sevayats to be placed on the chariot. Following 'Chhera Pahanra' performed by Keonjhar king Dhananjay Narayan Bhanjdeo, devotees enthusiastically pulled the chariot to the Gundicha temple. " Keonjhar MP Anant Nayak said, "The car festival in Keonjhar is distinct, reflecting tribal culture. Devotees pull the world's tallest chariot using ropes made from 'siali' creepers." The Sri Baladevjew Temple, the epicentre, saw the deities embark on the Nandighosh chariot. The procession began around 3pm, with the chariot pulling commencing at approximately 5:30pm. Favourable weather allowed thousands of devotees to participate in the chariot pulling, with traditional Galgandi being consumed along the route. By 6:40pm, the chariot reached the Gundicha temple, with the procession narrated by eminent poets and writers. As evening descended, a large crowd gathered to witness the deities. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Senior administration and police officials were present to ensure the event proceeded peacefully. Security measures were heightened to prevent any untoward incident and maintain order. The Rath Yatra in Keonjhar attracts tribal communities from the hills and forests to participate. Ramesh Chandra Nayak, district culture officer, said, "Several cultural programmes, including 'bhajan' and recitations by cultural troupes, will be held on the Bada Danda."
