Over the years, such festivals have gone a long way in highlighting the cultural treasure of India.
Devotees from across the country celebrated the world-famous Jagannath Rath Yatra or chariot festival that began on Thursday in different parts of the country.
Those who could not visit the shrine were also not stripped of the joy of celebrated the occasion. Similar celebrations were also held at different parts of the country, including Delhi, Pune, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Hyderabad, Raipur and Kolkata.
Thousands of people also participated in a Rath Yatra organised by Iscon in Hyderabad, where three giant wooden chariots of the three gods were pulled by the devotees.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee flagged off Rath Yatra in the capital city of Kolkata while Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also took part in the celebrations organised at Jagannath Temple in Hauz Khas.
As per the rituals, three garlands of consent from the deities are placed on the each of the grand chariots thereby officially permitting the conduct of preparatory rituals for reading the chariots for pulling.
(With inputs from ANI)
1. Devotees pull chariot carrying Lord Jagannath in Allahabad
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Devotees pull a chariot carrying the icon of Lord Jagannath during the annual Rath Yatra festival in Allahabad on July 4.
Over the years, such festivals have gone a long way in highlighting the cultural treasure of India. (Photo: AFP)
2. 142nd annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath
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Devotees pull a chariot carrying the icon of Lord Balaram, brother of Lord Jagannath, in Raipur area during the 142nd annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, in Ahmedabad on July 4.
Idols of Lord Jagannath, his Sister Subhadra and his Brother, Balaram are taken out in a procession from Lord Jagannath Temple once a year.
According to mythology, the Ratha Yatra dates back some 5,000 years when Hindu god Krishna, along with his older brother Balaram and sister Subhadra, were pulled on a chariot from Kurukshetra to Vrindavana by Krishnas devotees. (Photo: AFP)
3. Devotees rejoice as they pull rath carrying idols of Lord Jagannath
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Devotees rejoice as they pull a chariot carrying the icon of Lord Jagannath, in Raipur area during the 142nd annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, in Ahmedabad on July 4. (Photo: AFP)
4. Devotees during annual Rath Yatra in Agra
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Devotees during the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Agra on July 4.
The three chariots look just like temples that have been decorated with small idols, diyas and garlands. The processions pulled the chariots from Ratha Khala (construction site of the chariot) and later parked them outside Lion's gate for the commencement of the rituals for the yatra. (Photo: ANI)
5. Devotees pull the chariot of Lord Jagannath in Udaipur
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Devotees pull the chariot of Lord Jagannath during Rath Yatra outside Shri Jagdish Temple, in Udaipur, on July 4. (Photo: PTI)
6. Odisha CM, Governor attend Rath Yatra celebrations in Puri
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Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik watch the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra, in Puri, Thursday, July 4.
Thousands of people gathered at the beach town of Puri to witness the 9-day journey of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra on the Bada Danda as they travel from the Jagannath temple to Shree Gundicha temple. (Photo: PTI)
