In a first, 3 separate chariots for deities in Rath Yatra
1
2
3
Dibrugarh: The 11th annual Rath Yatra at Shri Shri Jagannath Temple in Dibrugarh's Khanikar witnessed a grand celebration as thousands of devotees gathered to pull the sacred chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra.
This year's event marked a historic first, with three separate chariots for the deities, adding a new dimension to the festivities.
The vibrant procession saw enthusiastic participation from devotees of all ages. Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal and state minister Bimal Borah attended the event, offering prayers and seeking divine blessings.
For the first time in the temple's history, three elaborately decorated chariots were constructed for the sibling deities—Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra.
The towering chariots, adorned with bright colours, flowers, and traditional motifs, became the highlight of the event.
"This year's Rath Yatra is special because we introduced separate chariots for each deity, just like in Puri. Devotees were overjoyed to witness the grandeur, and the divine energy was palpable," Nalin Khemani, Secretary of Sri Sri Jagannath Rath Yatra Organising Committee said.
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who participated in the event, expressed his gratitude to the organisers.
"The Rath Yatra is a symbol of unity and devotion. Seeing such a massive turnout fills my heart with joy. This festival transcends barriers and brings people together in devotion. May Lord Jagannath bless Assam and all of India," Sonowal said.
The celebrations also included cultural performances, bhajan sessions, and community feasts (mahaprasad), reinforcing the spirit of devotion and togetherness. Temple authorities ensured tight security and smooth arrangements for the massive gathering.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
4 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Bramha Taladhawaja wheels develop cracks, pulling to resume today
KENDRAPARA: Around four out of 14 wheels of the Bramha Taladhawaja chariot of the ancient Baladevjew temple in Kendrapara developed cracks on the second day of the Rath Yatra on Saturday. As a result, the 65-feet long chariot could not reach the Mausima temple, located two kilometres away. On Friday, the chariot was pulled by the devotees only for ten metres. While devotees resumed pulling the chariot towards Mausima temple on Saturday, spokes of some of the wheels were found partly broken for which the chariot leaned towards the left side. The chariot could not be pulled further as engineers and carpenters failed to repair the wheels. Engineers are trying their best to repair the damaged wheels and lift the chariot by using machines, said Balabhadra Patri, executive officer of Baladevjew temple. 'Out of 14 wheels of the chariot, we built four new wheels and repaired the rest due to shortage of good quality wood. We procured 760 cubic feet of Sal wood from the Forest department in Keonjhar district for the construction of the state's second biggest wooden chariot,' he said. Construction work of the three chariots at Puri started on Akshaya Tritiya on April 30 but in Kendrapara, it began on May 23 due to the delay by Forest department to provide wood to the temple,' Patri added. Pramod Dash, a priest of the temple, said. 'The temple authorities used old timber to build the wheels of the chariot as a result many wheels developed cracks. The journey of the chariot has already been delayed for two days. We hope it will reach the temple on Sunday.'
New Indian Express
4 hours ago
- New Indian Express
SJTA to examine Taladhwaja pulling, cordon overcrowding
BHUBANESWAR: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) will take up the issue of Lord Balabhadra's Taladhwaja not maneuvering properly during Rath Yatra with the Maharana and Bhoi sevayats who are in charge of chariot construction. The presence of uncontrollable crowds in the inner cordon of the chariots during 'pahandi' will also be investigated. Temple chief administrator Arabinda Padhee said it was noticed that the Taladhwaja chariot was veering off towards the corners and did not move straight resulting in the delay in pulling it. 'Taladhwaja chariot has 14 wheels and every year, initial problems are seen in pulling of the chariot. We will discuss with Maharana and Bhoi sevayats on the issue,' Padhee said. He added that the chariot moved without any hindrance on Saturday and reached the Shree Gundicha temple. On Friday, pulling of Taladhwaja was delayed for over 1.5 hours as it kept veering towards its left and right due to improper handling of the four ropes of the chariot by both devotees and security personnel. As a result, the chariot could not take a straight direction and due to less distance between Taldhawaja and Devi Subhadra's Darpadalana, the latter's pulling could not start before 6.10 pm. Lord Jagannath's Nandighosha could not go beyond Bagadia Dharamshala near the Lions' Gate.
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Time of India
Chariots of sibling deities reach Gundicha Temple
1 2 3 Puri: The sibling deities — Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra — arrived at their birthplace in Gundicha Temple here on their chariots by 1.10pm on Saturday, after they had stopped at various points along the 3-km Grand Road on Friday due to reported crowd control difficulties. The deities, who granted darshan to devotees atop the chariots near Saradha Bali throughout Saturday, will be taken into the Gundicha Temple's sanctum sanctorum on Sunday evening in the traditional Pahandi procession. On Friday evening, thousands of devotees gathered near Lord Jagannath's Nandighosh chariot, raising stampede concerns. Police spent about two hours trying to clear the path, leading the devotees to move Lord Jagannath's chariot nominally at 7.45 pm before the ceremony was postponed to Saturday. Both opposition parties and devotees criticised the crowd management arrangements. Law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said Rath Yatra and the chariot pulling were "peaceful and incident-free". "I extend my appreciation to servitors, district and police administration for conducting Rath Yatra in an incident-free and disciplined manner. Lakhs of people participated on the festival's second day and pulled the chariots," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Odisha police said they achieved their 'zero casualty' goal during the festival. "Under the guidance of the chief minister, we successfully facilitated the arrival of the three chariots at Saradha Bali (in front of Gundicha Temple). Hard work, crowd management, traffic control and provision of emergency services by our personnel ensured peace and order during Rath Yatra," Odisha police wrote on X. The sibling deities will remain at Gundicha Temple for six days before beginning their return journey, known as Bahuda Yatra (return car festival) on July 5. Gundicha Temple underwent beautification work before welcoming the deities. The enhancements include stone-cladding of the outer boundary wall, landscaping and illumination arrangements, enhancing the shrine's visual appeal for devotees. Gundicha Temple, known as the garden residence of the deities due to its numerous trees, remains unoccupied except during Rath Yatra when they stay for around a week. Throughout the Rath Yatra festival, Gundicha Temple operates as Jagannath Temple, conducting about 25 daily rituals.
