‘Jai Jagannath’ echoes across streets as Indoreans take out Rath Yatra

Indore: The grandeur of Puri’s Rath Yatra echoed in Indore, as several temples in city celebrated the chariot procession of Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Balabhadra, and sister Subhadra with great fervor on Sunday. Thousands of devotees participated in this procession, braving the drizzling rain with enthusiasm. The city resonated with chants of “Jai Jagannath.” As part of the ongoing Brahmotsav and Rath Yatra festival at Shri Lakshmi Venkatesh Devasthan Chhatribagh, the largest Rath Yatra in the state was organized. A sea of devotees flocked to catch a glimpse of the deities. Lord Venkatesh, adorned on a silver chariot, graced his devotees with a grand city tour accompanied by a majestic entourage.Pankaj Totla one of the organizers said that around 250 volunteers, dressed uniformly in kurtas, managed the arrangements of the procession. Regular updates were shared on WhatsApp to ensure a smooth experience. Highlights of the procession included tableaux promoting environmental conservation, water resources, cow protection, Ayodhya’s Ram, Lord Venkatesh, Maa Ahilyabai, and Bharat Mata. A depiction of Ramanujacharya seated on a lotus flower was particularly captivating.The Rath Yatra commenced from Chhatribagh and proceeded through Silawat Pura Square, Narsingh Bazaar, Sitalamata Bazaar, Gorakund Square, Shakkar Bazaar, Bada Sarafa, Peepali Bazaar, Bartan Bazaar, Bajaj Khana, and Satha Bazaar, eventually returning to the temple. Along the route, flowers were showered from approximately 300 platforms, and prasad was distributed at multiple locations.A group of 80 boys and girls from Mumbai performed with a band along the entire route for about 6-7 hours. Additionally the ISKCON temple’s Rath Yatra began from Sri Sri Vidyadham Templeon Sunday afternoon. Thousands of devotees gathered to witness Lord Jagannath seated on a 51-feet tall chariot. Men and women pulled the chariot’s ropes on either side, symbolizing unity. The decorated hydraulic chariot was inaugurated by social workers Vinod Agarwal, Premchand Goyal, Tikamchand Garg, and Vishnu Bindal under the guidance of temple president Mahamandaleshwar Dadu Maharaj, Dr. Chetan Swaroop, and others. The procession route was swept with a gold broom as a mark of respect.Horses, carriages, bands, kirtan, and garba groups, along with two mini chariots, accompanied the main chariot. One mini chariot carried the statue of ISKCON founder Srila Prabhupada, while the other bore Gaur Nitai. The main chariot with Lord Jagannath, Sister Subhadra, and Brother Balabhadra toured the city.The Rath Yatra commenced from Sri Vidyadham Temple, passing through Bada Ganpati, Tory Corner, Gorakund, Khajuri Bazaar, and Rajwada, concluding at Gopal Temple. The procession included tableaux of Radha-Krishna and was marked by devotional singing and cultural performances.