Rath Yatra celebrated with pomp and grandeur

Hyderabad: Devotees were seen chanting Jai Jagannath during the deities' divine journey on the chariots on the occasion of the Rath Yatra on Sunday.

Iskcon temples in the city took out a grand procession of their respective temples; the lanes were beautifully decorated with rangoli. The grand chariot of Lord Jagannath, along with Balarama and Subhadra, were taken out from several locations, including Secunderabad ISKCON Temple, Clock Tower, NTR grounds, and Exhibition Ground, amidst the chanting of Vedic hymns by the priests. The same scenario and rituals were followed at the 130-year-old Sir Jagannath temple in Ramgopalpet.

Earlier at the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCO), Secunderabad, a procession scores of devotees participated in the celebrations and offered prayers to the deities at the Shree Jagannath Swamy. The road before the chariot was swept with a golden broom. Coconuts were broken, and special Arati was offered to the deities to mark the commencement of the chariot procession.

Meanwhile, Shree Jagannath Swamy Ramgopal Trust has been organising the Rath Yatra for the deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra for the past 130 years, which coincides with the Rath Yatra at Jagannath Puri. This year, around 5,000 devotees were part of the Rath Yatra, said a member of the Shree Jagannath Swamy Ramgopal Trust.

“For the past 15 years, we have been part of the procession of the Shree Jagannath Swamy Ramgopal Trust. It feels like we are in Puri, as all the rituals that take place in Puri, Odisha, are replicated here,” said Ramesh Das, a devotee and resident of Secunderabad.