Latest news with #RathYatraMela
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Chariot procession, ‘aarti' mark first day of Jagannath Rath Yatra
Varanasi: With the boarding of the idols of Lord Jagannath, Balbhadra, and Subhadra on a palanquin at Assi temple for the 'nagar bhraman' (city tour) on Thursday late afternoon, the five-day Rath Yatra festival celebrations started in the city. Following a night stay at Beniram Bagh, the deities will boarded onto the 'rath' (chariot) on Friday morning. Amidst tight security arrangements, the traditional chariot procession of deities started from Assi temple. According to organisers, Rath Yatra Mela is one such rare festival when gods come out of their sanctum sanctorum and make a tour of the city to meet their devotees. Before reaching Beniram Bagh at night, aartis of deities were also performed at many places. For this Rath Yatra Mela, which is considered a replica of Puri's Rath Yatra and celebrated annually in Kashi since 1802, makeshift shops of colourful artefacts, handicrafts, toys and balloons, as well as the special attractions—the seasonal cookie shops called 'nankhatai'—mushroomed in the yatra area and roads leading to it. While a temporary control room for over 80 CCTV cameras installed to monitor the fair area was set up, the deployment of a heavy police force at the Rath Yatra area also started by Thursday late night. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo In view of the fair, the route diversion plan also became effective. ADCP (traffic) Anshuman Mishra said that this arrangement will be in effect daily between 4 pm and 3 am until June 30. As per the diversion plan, vehicles coming from BHU and Bhelupur towards Rath Yatra will be diverted from Kamachha to reach their destination via Akashvani and Mahmoorganj. Vehicles heading from Luxa to Rath Yatra will be redirected from Gurubagh intersection towards Neemamai intersection. They will reach their destination via Kamachha. Vehicles travelling from Sigra to Rath Yatra will be diverted from Sigra crossing towards Mahmoorganj and Sonia police post. Vehicles from Mahmoorganj heading to the yatra will be redirected from Akashvani intersection towards Sigra. Ambulances and funeral vehicles will be exempt from this restriction. Heavy vehicles towards Manduadih will reach via Mohansarai, Rohania, Chandpur, and Mudhela after the no-entry is lifted. Similarly, heavy vehicles heading to Sigra can proceed via Mohansarai, Rohania, Chandpur, Lahartara, Dharamshala, Englishia Line, and Maldahiya, while vehicles from Sigra to Harhua or Babatpur can reach their destination via Sigra, Maldahiya, Chowkaghat, Tadi Khana, Police Line intersection, Bhojubir, Gilat Bazaar, Tarna, and Harhua after the no-entry is lifted. There will be a complete ban on vehicles coming from Manduadih to Akashvani and Rath Yatra crossings.
Time of India
21 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
Doors of Jagannath temple opened for devotees, Rath Yatra from June 27
Varanasi: The holy city plunged into Rath Yatra Mela festivities as Lord Jagannath recovers from a fortnight-long illness. The doors of the Jagannath Temple in Assi locality were opened for devotees on Wednesday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Lord Jagannath fell ill following water offerings by devotees on the full moon day of Jyeshtha month and was offered a special herbal drink for recovery for 15 days. After recovering, on the 15th day, the new moon day of the month of Ashadha, the deity regained health and appeared before the devotees on Wednesday morning. The temple's chief priest Radhe Shyam Pandey adorned the deity with white garments and white flowers, offered Panchamrit, and performed a grand prayer ceremony. After the ceremony, the Panchamrit was distributed among the devotees as prasad. On Wednesday, Lord Jagannath was offered parwal (pointed gourd) juice. On Thursday, the Lord's palanquin will be taken out, and from June 27 to 29, during the festival, Lord Jagannath, along with with his elder brother Balbhadra and sister Subhadra, will be seated on the chariot for Rath Yatra. Rath Yatra Mela is one such rare festival when gods come out of their sanctum sanctorum and make a round of the city to meet their devotees. Kashi witnessed the grandeur of Lord Jagannath's Rath Yatra for the first time in 1802 and since then, the annual festivities have continued. The tradition of Rath Yatra Mela is celebrated here resembling the Puri's Rath Yatra Mela. The festival begins from Jyeshtha Purnima when Lord Jagannath falls ill due to excessive bathing after which he is given kaadha made of parwal and Tulsi for the next 14 days. The doors of the Jagannath Temple remain closed for devotees during this period. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now After the deity recovers from the fortnight-long illness, the doors of the Jagannath Temple are opened for devotees on the 15th day. The idols of Lord Jagannath, along with his siblings, are placed on a palanquin and taken to Pt Beniram Bagh for a night stay. By the next evening, the chariot reaches the Rath Yatra road. The idols are placed on the chariot after which devotees perform special aarti and offer prayers. After the end of the fair, the idols are taken back to the temple. The three-day Rath Yatra Mela pulls a huge crowd of devotees. A splendid fair is organised with shops selling colourful articles, handicrafts, toys, and balloons. Flower men sell flowers, and holy basil (Jagannath's favourite) and the special attractions of the fair remain 'nankhatai' the special cookies. Organiser of the Mela Deepak Shapuri, who along with his brother Alok Shapuri looks after Shri Jagannath Mandir Trust, said that all the rituals of the Rath Yatra festivities are similar to those performed at the Jagannath Temple of Puri. The tradition was started by the then chief priest of Puri Jagannath Temple, Tejonidhi Brahmchari, who moved to Varanasi from Puri.
