Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra is an annual chariot festival held in Odisha's Puri to worship Lord Jagannath. The Puri Rath Yatra 2023 is being celebrated from June 20 as devotees from across the country are set to visit the Jagannath temple. The Rath Yatra Festival is also celebrated in Gujarat. Ahmedabad’s Rath Yatra is the second-biggest one after Odisha’s Rath Yatra
Prime Minister Modi, who left for his three-day-long visit to the US, sent his wishes for the Rath Yatra. He also attached a video clip along with his tweet showing him participating in a Rath Yatra procession. He tweeted, "Rath Yatra has become an identity of India throughout the world. It is celebrated in many states of the country. However, the Rath Yatra in Puri has an aura of its own".
The 146th Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath began amid the presence of lakhs of devotees around the 18-km route of the procession. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel had performed 'Pahind Vidhi', a symbolic ritual of cleaning the way for the chariots using a golden broom, following which the chariots of Lord Jagannath, his brother Balbhadra and sister Subhadra embarked started the yatra from the 400-year-old Jagannath Temple in Jamalpur area
The Jagannath Yatra will commence on June 20 at 10:04 pm and will end on June 21 at 7:09 pm. The preparations for the festival begin months before the festival. The chariot will be pulled by the devotees
The Rath Yatra will be Live telecasted on DD-Bharati, DD-Odia, and other Doordarshan channels. Further, Rath Yatra’s live streaming will take place on Doordarshan's YouTube channel — https://www.youtube.com/DoordarshanNational
Lord Jagannath, Lord Krishna, or the Lord of the Universe is believed to have decided to visit Gundicha Temple on the day when the Yatra begins. He took his sister Subhadra and elder brother Balabhadra with him. This event is also depicted in Hindu scriptures like Brahma Purana, Padma Purana, Skanda Purana and Kapila Samhita
Lakhs of devotees gather in Ahmedabad for the Jagannath Rath Yatra 2023 as Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel performed Pahind Vidhi. Watch Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra video
President Droupadi Murmu offered prayers at Jagannath Mandir in Hauz Khas, Delhi ahead of Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra 2023
The Gujarat Police has for the first-time used 3D mapping technology to monitor the entire route of Rath Yatra, along with anti-drone technology to ensure that no unauthorised drones are used