Thousands of devotees on Thursday participated in the Rukuna Rath Yatra at the lingaraj Temple here on the occasion of Ashokastami.
As per the tradition, lord lingaraj, Rukmini and Basudeva go to the Mausima Mandir from the lingaraj temple in a chariot named Rukuna Rath every year on Ashokastami.
The rituals started at 4 am with Mangala Aarati followed by Sahana Mela from 4.30 am to 6.30 am.
The Pahandi started at 12.30 pm and the chariots started rolling at 5 pm an hour after the scheduled time from the temple and passed through the Hospital Chowk and stopped at Badheibanka.
According to the lingaraj Temple Administration, the chariot would be pulled to the Mausima Temple on Friday.
Nearly 30 platoons of police force were deployed for smooth conduct of the Yatra.