Religious fervour marks beginning of Rath Yatra by USS
Scores of people took part in pulling the colourfully-designed chariot carrying Lord Jagannath and his siblings, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra, in the annual Rath Yatra festival on its first day, organised under the aegis of Utkal Sanskrutika Samaj (USS), a popular socio-cultural organisation in Visakhapatnam.
Amid chanting of Hori Bal, bhajans, sankrtans, and vedic hymns, the chariot was taken out from Jagannath Temple Complex to Gundicha Ghat (aunt’s place) near Shantiashram in the Lawson’s Bay Colony on the beach road. People from all communities, including a large number of children, women, and elderly people, took part in the rath-pulling ritual.
Coinciding with the world-famous Rath Yatra at Sri Jagannath Dham in Puri, USS made elaborate arrangements for the first day of the festival amid tight security. Once in a year, the deities are taken out of the sanctum sanctorum to enable everyone to do his darshan. The deities will be kept at the Gundicha Ghar by following all established rituals till the Bahuda Yatra, also called Return Yatra, when the deities are taken back to the main temple as per the customs.
The deities were taken to the chariot from the sanctum sanctorum of the temple in a ritual known as ‘Pahandi Bije.’ As per the ritual, it is believed that the erstwhile Raja of Puri sweeps the floor before pulling off the chariots to symbolize the fact that there is no difference between the King and the general public. At the Rath Yatra organised by USS, Samaj president and Vice President of OSL Group of Companies JK Nayak performed the ritual. The display of talent by Ganjam Folk Dance Centre, Narendrapur of Odisha’s Ganjam district was a special attraction.
The chariot traversed through roads near VUDA Children Park, AU Gate, Park Hotel and VMRDA Park to reach Gundicha Ghar at Lawson’s Bay Colony where the deities will be kept for sojourn till July 24.
Marwadi Yuva Manch served drinking water. Various artists performed during the procession, and Sankeertan, deputed by the Culture Department, Government of Odisha, enthralled.
Meanwhile, USS general secretary, Satyabrata Dwibedy thanked the devotees for taking part in large numbers and urged them to visit the Gundicha Ghar to have darshan of the deities till the Bahuda Ratha Yatra.