146th Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra 2023 Begins In Gujarat
146th Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra 2023 begins
The 146th Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath commenced in the city of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, with tight security measures in place. A massive crowd gathered along the 18-kilometer procession route in order to catch a sight of the deity. This year, the Gujarat Police used modern 3D mapping technology to monitor the entire route, as well as anti-drone equipment to prevent unauthorised drone use during the event.
In the morning, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel performed the ‘Pahind Vidhi,’ a symbolic ritual of cleaning the path for the chariots, using a golden broom. Following that, the chariots bearing Lord Jagannath, his brother Balbhadra, and sister Subhadra commenced the yatra from Jamalpur's 400-year-old Jagannath Temple. These preparations were made prior to the commencement of the annual event.
Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra 2023, Key points
• Amit Shah performed the'mangla aarti', a sacred ceremony to give devotion to the deity, at the temple early Tuesday morning. Alongside the three chariots carrying Lord Jagannath, Balbhadra, and Subhadra, the procession included around 15 adorned elephants, 100 trucks adorned with tableaux, and singing troupes.
• The Rath Yatra is an annual event that takes place on Ashadhi Bij, the second day of the Ashad month in the Hindu calendar. The procession is expected to return to the temple by 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, travelling through the Old City, passing through neighbourhoods such as Jamalpur, Kalupur, Shahpur, and Dariyapur, some of which are regarded communally sensitive.
• To ensure the smooth and secure conduct of the Rath Yatra, over 26,000 personnel were deployed from the city police, Home Guards, State Reserve Police, and paramilitary forces. They were strategically positioned along the 18-kilometer-long yatra route to prevent any untoward incidents from occurring.
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