Digha looks at Ulta Rath rush, festive mood lingers

Time of India

a day ago

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Digha: A day after Rath Yatra, the festive fervour continues in Digha as the seaside town is now gearing up to host Ulta Rath or the return journey of the deities from the 'Masir Bari' or the old Jagannath temple.
On July 5 — the Ulta Rath day — hotels are hoping for fresh tourist influx.
Though the deities are currently in Masir Bari, a large queue of devotees visited the newly-constructed Jagannath temple on Saturday. They offered prayers to the stone idol permanently installed there.
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It is the wooden idols of Jagannath, Balaram and Subhadra that have taken the chairot rides. Bipradash Chakraborty, joint secretary of Digha Sankarpur Hoteliers Association, said booking for Ulta Rath had already started.
"The hotels and guest houses near the temple are in high demand. We expect that about 70% odd bookings will be completed by Wednesday. Usually, summer and winter vacations are the peak seasons for the hotel industry in Digha.
This year, Ratha Yatra has become a new boost for our industry, and we are preparing for an influx of devotees from different states during Ulta Rath."
Radharaman Das, a trustee of Digha Jagannath Dham and vice-president of ISKCON Kolkata, said 'Chappanbhog' was being offered to the deities five times daily at the temple.
"Additionally, regular rituals are being performed at Masir Bari around 750 metres from the main temple, where the wooden idols have been kept in chariots. We expect footfall of 70,000 to one lakh devotees at the temple daily until Ulta Rath."
A local tour operator in Digha stated, "We have been running package tours covering Puri and Digha for a long time. This tour has gained momentum due to the chariot festival, as many people will travel to Digha from Puri for Ulta Rath."
Sonia Das, a Garia resident, stated, "The maiden chariot festival of Digha has generated great excitement among people like us. Some of us formed a group in the neighbourhood and travelled to the seaside town. Another group of our neighbours is scheduled to arrive at Digha for Ulta Rath."
Meanwhile, police are implementing a three-tier security system in the town keeping in mind the anticipated rush of devotees. Dibakar Das, SDPO of Contai, stated, "Additional security measures are being implemented throughout Digha for the return journey. Focus is also on the beach area." Some devotees have also planned to visit Puri on Ulta Rath.