Puri Rath Yatra: Chariot Pulling Begins

Puri, Jul 7: Amid the chants of 'Jai Jagannath' and 'Haribol', thousands of devotees pulled forward giant chariots from the Shri Jagannath temple in Puri towards Gundicha temple here on Sunday afternoon.

The chariot pulling started around 5.20 PM after Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalanada Saraswati visited the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra with his disciples and the Puri's titular king completed the 'Chhera Pahanra' (chariot sweeping) ritual.

President Droupadi Murmu, Odisha Governor Raghubar Das, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan symbolically started the mammoth exercise by pulling the ropes connecting the Nandighosh, chariot of Lord Jagannath.

Earlier, President Droupadi Murmu performed a 'parikrama' of the three chariots and bowed down before the deities. Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik also had a 'darshan' of the sibling deities.

Thousands of people pulled the nearly 45-feet tall wooden chariot of Lord Balabhadra. It will be followed by pulling of chariots of Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath.

Lord Balabhadra led the chariot procession riding Taladhwaja. It was followed by Devi Subhadra in Darpadalana. Lord Jagannath would go riding Nandighosa at the end.

Lakhs of devotees have thronged the pilgrim town of Puri to witness the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath and his siblings today.