Puri's Jagannath Rath Yatra begins today, President Murmu to attend two-day celebrations

Puri: The annual Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra, one of the most significant and eagerly awaited festivals in India, is set to commence in Odisha's Puri district on Sunday.
President Droupadi Murmu is expected to witness the Rath Yatra in Puri, along with millions of devotees from across India.
The festival offers a vibrant and spiritual experience for the lakhs of devotees who will gather to witness this auspicious occasion. This year, the event will be held for two days due to specific celestial arrangements.
Visuals show the chariots of Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra decorated and lined along the wide avenue in front of the temple, near its eastern entrance, also known as the Sinhadwara or the Lion's Gate.
The chariots are newly constructed each year from wood of specified trees, crafted by a specialist team of hereditary carpenters.
Puri Superintendent of Police (SP) Pinak Mishra spoke about the chariot festival, saying, "Today we are celebrating the world-famous Rath Yatra of Lord Sri Jagannath. As anticipated, a large number of devotees will flock to Puri to participate in this Yatra. We have made extensive police arrangements and divided them into several important segments."
He added that specific security arrangements are in place for President Droupadi Murmu's visit, including crowd control, traffic management, and parking. The SP also mentioned coordination with the Coast Guard, Coastal Security, and Railway Security for the event.
Heavy security personnel have been deployed in the district in view of the revered Yatra and President Murmu's visit to attend the celebrations.
Thousands of devotees queued up at the temple premises on Sunday morning ahead of the Yatra.
According to the Hindu calendar, the festival is celebrated on the Dwitiya Tithi of Shukla Paksha (waxing moon fortnight) in the month of Ashadh. The Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra is scheduled to be celebrated today, July 7, 2024.
The festival is associated with Lord Jagannath, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, and his siblings. During the Yatra, the deities Lord Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra, and his sister Subhadra are carried on wooden chariots from Jagannath Temple to Gundicha Temple in Puri.
Meanwhile, the Jagannath Yatra also began in Ahmedabad with fanfare and excitement on Sunday morning.
Chief Minister of Gujarat Bhupendra Patel and Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi also attended the Rath Yatra festival.
Patel performed the 'Pahind Vidhi'--the symbolic cleaning of the path for the chariot of Jagannath for the Rath Yatra.
Earlier today, 'Mangla Aarti' was performed by Union Minister Amit Shah, who was accompanied by his wife Sonal, at the temple.
More than 15,000 police personnel have been deployed for the 147th edition of the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, which is taking place in Ahmedabad today and attracts lakhs of devotees.
The Rath Yatra, also known as the Chariot Festival, is believed to be as old as the Jagannath Temple in Puri.
The festival is celebrated with great fanfare from New Zealand to London and South Africa, encompassing the onward journey of the Holy Trinity to their maternal aunt, Goddess Gundicha Devi's Temple, and culminating with the return journey after eight days.
In reality, the festival stretches from the day of Akshaya Tritiya and culminates with the return of the journey of the Holy Trinity to the Shree Mandir premises.