A stampede-like situation broke out during the Jagannath Rath Yatra festival in Puri on Thursday, killing two people and hospitalizing nearly 100 others, sparking panic among devotees who had gathered for the annual chariot festival.
Emergency rescue teams evacuated several people on stretchers after a significant increase in the number of pilgrims gathered near the Jagannath Temple in Singadwara, news agency PTI reported.
Security personnel and rescue teams rushed to help worshipers affected by the dense crowd, and provided medical care as the number of pilgrims continued to swell around the three holy vehicles.
Thousands gather for one of India’s largest religious festivals
Despite the pressure of crowds, the holy city of Puri remained immersed in religious fervor as thousands of devotees lined up on the Grand Road (Badadanda) to witness the world-famous Rath Yatra.
Read also | Millions brave torrential rain as Jagannath chariots ply in Odisha’s Puri district
Thousands waited to catch a glimpse of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra as the deities began their annual journey to Gundicha Temple.
The ancient ritual marks the beginning of the yatra
The day’s celebrations began with the traditional bhandi, the grand procession in which the deities are ceremoniously taken out of the sanctum sanctorum.
According to a centuries-old tradition, Lord Sudarshan, the divine weapon of Lord Jagannath, was brought out first. He was followed by Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and finally Lord Jagannath.
Read also | Traffic warning issued for Jagannath Rath Yatra at Hauz Khas in Delhi: Check routes, diversions
Before sitting on their wooden chariots, the deities performed the customary parikrama of the three newly built chariots – Nandigosha, Taladwaja and Darpadalana. They were then placed on their thrones in a ritual known as Ratha Biji, marking the start of their annual journey.
Special prayers and royal tradition
Shankaracharya of Govardhan Petha, Swami Nichalananda Saraswati, accompanied by his disciples, also visited the three chariots to offer prayers and perform special pujas.
Read also | On Puri’s Great Road, the devotee’s submission
Another major ritual of the festival, Chira Pahanra, was performed by the titular king of Puri, Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb. Arriving in a royal palanquin, he wiped the platforms of the three chariots with a golden-handled broom and sprinkled fragrant holy water, a tradition symbolizing humility and equality before God Almighty.
After completing the royal rituals and attaching the wooden horses to the chariots, the worshipers began pulling the three chariots around two in the afternoon, marking the next stage of the annual Rath Yatra festival.
(With inputs from Debabrata Mohanty and agencies)
