11 hours ago
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.
