Millions of devotees witness World Famous Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Puri despite healvy rain: One person died of suffocation,several injured

By B.Maharana
Puri, July 16
The holy town of Puri witnessed immense spiritual fervour on Thursday as the world-famous Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath begins in the holy town of Puri in Odisha . Millions of devotees had a glimpse of three deities – Lord Jagannath eleder brother Lord Balabhadra and younger sister Subhadra atop their majestic chariots and witnessed the annual grand journey along the Grand Road (Badadanda) to SriGundicha Temple, the maternal aunt’s abode of Lord Jagannath amidst intermittent heavy rain.
However one devotee died of suffocation and over hundreds were fainted during the Rath Yatra at Puri. .The stampade -like situation occured while devotees tried to enter the grand road by breaking the barrier at Marichilote square to pull the chariots. All the injured people were rushed to hospital, where doctor declare one person dead and others were under treatment, official sources said.
The rituals of the Rathyatra were delayed due to intermittent rain,The deities were brought out from the sanctum sanctorum in a traditional grand procession known as Pahandi As per age-old tradition, Lord Jagannath’s weapon, Lord Sudarshan was the first to be brought out to the chariots. He is followed by Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and finally, Lord Jagannath.
After the deities are placed on the chariots the Shankaracharya of Govardhan Peetha, Swami Nischalananda Saraswati, accompanied by his disciplesl visited the three chariots to offer prayers and perform special pujas before trinity.
In a symbol of humility and equality before the Almighty, the titular King of Puri, Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb whol arrived in a royal palanquin from Raj Nivas performed the Chhera Pahanra (sweeping of the chariots with golden broom) ritual and sprinkle fragrant holy water on the platforms of three chariots.
After the completion of royal rituals and the fixing of wooden horses to the chariots, the chariots were pulled by devotees amid chanting of “Jai Jagannth” one by one in the afternoorn. Lord Balabhadra’s chariot, Taladhwaja was pulled first, followed by Devi Subhadra’s Darpadalana, and finally, Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosha rolled down the Badadanda in the evening towards the Gundicha Temple ,which is 3 Kms away from Shri Mandir.However no chariot could reach Gundicha Temple today for delay in rituals due to rain .All the three chariots halted in mid-way However the pulling of chariots continued even after sunset till 8PM. The Chariots will be pulled tomorrow.
The deities will stay at the Gundicha Temple for nine days before returning to the Shree Jagannath Temple on the same chariots during the Bahuda Yatra, also known as the return car festival.