Lakhs of devotees gather in Puri for Lord Jagannath’s Rath Yatra; PM Modi extends greetings

New Delhi, Jun 27: Lakhs of devotees from across India and abroad have gathered in the holy town of Puri, full of colourful surroundings, for the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, which began on Friday. The festival, one of the most important events in the Hindu calendar, is being held with great grandeur and tight security arrangements. Extending his greetings on the occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter): in Hindi ,“On the sacred occasion of Lord Jagannath’s Rath Yatra, my best wishes to all fellow citizens. May this divine festival of faith and devotion bring happiness, prosperity, good fortune, and excellent health to everyone. Jai Jagannath!” By Thursday evening, around one lakh pilgrims had already arrived in Puri, and the number swelled significantly on Friday morning, officials said to media persons.

The Odisha government has deployed nearly 10,000 security personnel, including eight companies of Central Armed Police Forces, to ensure the smooth conduct of the festival.

Odisha Director General of Police (DGP) Y B Khurania told PTI that, for the first time, an Integrated Command and Control Centre has been set up in Puri to monitor the festival closely. More than 275 AI-enabled CCTV cameras have been installed across the city and on the route to Konark, home to the Sun Temple, located 35 km away. The Rath Yatra, also known as the Chariot Festival or Shree Gundicha Yatra, marks the ceremonial journey of Lord Jagannath, along with his siblings Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, in giant wooden chariots to the Gundicha Temple. The festival takes place on the second day (Dwitiya Tithi) of the Shukla Paksha in the lunar month of Ashadha, a time considered spiritually powerful due to the increasing light of the moon.