Spiritual fervour adds to festive spirit in Bokaro
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Bokaro: Amid spiritual fervour and traditional gaiety, the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra was taken out with great devotion here on Friday.
The ceremonial chariot procession began at the Jagannath Temple in Sector 4 and concluded at the Ram Temple in Sector 1 with thousands of devotees participating in the procession.
Undeterred by rain, men, women, children and elderly devotees turned out in large numbers to pull the chariot, chanting "Haribol" and "Jai Jagannath". The spiritual atmosphere also resonated with the sound of conch shells, cymbals and devotional music.
Before the procession began, the traditional ritual of 'Chhera-Pahara' was performed by B K Tiwari, the director-in-charge of Bokaro Steel Plant, who swept the chariot platform as a symbol of humility.
"Despite the rain, pulling the chariot felt like a blessing. This is not just a festival... it's a divine connection with Lord Jagannath," said Nitesh Kasyap, a city resident.
Social organisations and puja committees set up stalls offering sherbet and refreshments to the devotees along the route. City Centre residents presented 'Chhappan Bhog (56 food offerings)' to the Lord and served sharbat to participants. "It was a deeply spiritual experience. Offering Chhappan Bhog to the Lord and serving water to devotees filled me with inner peace," said Naresh Agarwal, a devotee who distributed prasad at the City Centre.
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