In Puri, Odisha, Lord Jagannath's grand chariot procession unfurls today with the administration poised and security at high alert. The festival is expected to draw millions of devotees from across the globe. The Rath Yatra commences at 4 PM, preceded by ceremonies from the early morning.
Arvind Padhi, Chief Administrator of the Shri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), announced, 'By the grace of Mahaprabhu Jagannath, complete arrangements are in place for a peaceful Rath Yatra this Friday, with full cooperation from all service personnel.'
The ceremonial pulling of the chariots bearing the deities—Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Jagannath—begins at 4 PM after the rituals are completed. Devotees are arriving from near and far, eager to witness this spiritual spectacle.
According to police sources, nearly 100,000 people had arrived in Puri by Thursday evening. Some were privileged to partake in the 'Nava Yauvan Darshan', a blessed viewing of the deities following their ritual bath. After the June 11 bathing ceremony, public viewing was suspended with the belief that the Lord becomes unwell and resides in 'Anasar House' (seclusion room) for two weeks.
What's the schedule for today?
At the Brahm Muhurat, the temple's Lion Gate was opened, and Lord Jagannath was awakened. Initial Mangala Aarti was performed before setting up the Rath Yatra, offering khichdi to the deity. By afternoon, the Lord is transported from the sanctum to the chariot. Once seated, Lord Jagannath receives elaborate adornments, completed by 2:30 PM. Following this, the Gajapati Maharaj of Odisha sweeps the chariot's path with a golden broom, symbolizing the beginning of the journey. Chariots progress from 4 PM.
Source: aajtak
Notably, post the June 11 Snan Purnima ritual, Mahaprabhu Jagannath fell ill, leading to a 15-day recovery where public viewing was restricted. Today marks the resumption of public darshan.
What's prepared?
Odisha DGP YB Khurania indicated that Puri has been fortified to manage the crowds. Approximately 10,000 security personnel take charge, including eight companies of Central Armed Forces.
For the first time, an Integrated Command and Control Center is operational for close festival monitoring, utilizing over 275 AI-capable CCTV cameras on routes to Puri and Konark. In front of the temple on Grand Road, NSG snipers are deployed. Drones, bomb disposal teams, dog squads, marine police, coast guard, and navy are on standby.
The weather department forecasts thunderstorms in Puri and adjacent districts on Friday, with winds speeding at 30-40 km/h.
Indian Railways is operating 365 special trains, while the Odisha government has arranged around 800 buses from various districts for devotee transportation.
Source: aajtak
Preparations in Ahmedabad?
On Friday, the 148th Jagannath Rath Yatra in Gujarat’s Ahmadabad will engage around 23,884 security personnel. Notably, a first-time deployment of an AI-based monitoring system aims to prevent stampedes.
The AI software will receive live feeds from CCTV and drone cameras, analyzing this data to inform the police control room about crowd dynamics and potential dangers. The system provides immediate alerts in case of high-density gatherings, fires, or other emergencies.
Vehicles equipped with GPS tracking systems will be monitored along the procession. About 4,500 police officers will accompany the route, in addition to 1,931 traffic police managing the path. Local police, State Reserve Police (SRP), the Chetak Commando unit, and Rapid Action Force will provide security, augmented with 2,872 body cameras, 41 drones, and 96 surveillance cameras. Twenty-five watch towers are erected for vigilance.
The Rath Yatra will be flagged off from the 400-year-old Shri Jagannath Temple in Jamalpur and return by 8 PM. Tradition holds that the chariot is drawn by the Khalasi community. The procession includes 18 elephants, 100 trucks, and 30 akhadas.
Source: aajtak
Special arrangements in Bengal?
West Bengal's Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reviewed rath preparations at the newly built Jagannath Temple in Digha on Thursday. Following a high-level meeting with DSDA, police, and ISKCON monks, she inspected the three chariots and the 1 km journey route.
The entire city is adorned with temple-themed cutouts and illuminations by Chandannagar artists. Saffron flags and banners decorate the 180 km route from Kolkata to Digha. So far, 3 million devotees have visited the temple and are expected in large numbers for the Rath Yatra. According to ISKCON's Vice President Radharamana Dasa, the Chief Minister will participate in the chariot drawing on June 27.
Mamata Banerjee addressed the media, confirming that the three chariots will be set out on Friday at 2:30 PM, with the journey concluding by 4 PM. The puja will commence on Thursday evening, and preparations for chariot pulling begin at 8:30 AM Friday.
For safety reasons, devotees are not allowed to descend to the street to pull the chariot rope this year but can touch the rope from behind barricades.
