The Rath Yatra was celebrated in various parts of the city with traditional religious fervour on Saturday.Three colourful chariots of lord Jagannath, lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra of the ISKCON Temple, pulled by hundreds of devotees, moved through major city roads amid joyous chants of Jai Jagannath and Hare Krishna.
The chariots moved through various roads before reaching the Gundicha Temple near the Unit-VIII DAV School. The chariots would return to the ISKCON Temple on July 26, the day of Bahuda Yatra. Adequate security arrangements were made by the Commissionerate Police as the three chariots moved along the NH-216.The event was also celebrated at the Shrivani Kshetra of KISS with religious fervour and gaiety.
More than 20,000 devotees participated in pulling of the three decorated chariots carried on three colourful wooden chariots, festooned with flowers, appliqué and mural paintings.
KIIT and KISS founder Achyuta Samanta performed the holy ritual of Chhera Pahanra. Devadalan, the chariot of Goddess Subhadra, was pulled by only females.A large number of kids pulled the chariots at Jameswarpatna in Old Bhubaneswar.