The preparations are on for the annual Rath Yatra of lord Jagannath in Raipur. Different city temple authorities are busy giving final touches to the chariots for Sunday. Mahant Ramsunder Das said, in the 450-year-old Jagannath Temple at Tuti Hatri special fire rituals and prayers would go on from 8 am to 2 pm on Sunday.
After the prayers, chariot of lord Jagannath, brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra would be pulled by the devotees. The chariots will proceed through lohar Chowk, Purani Basti, Ajad Chowk, Amapara Chowk, lakhe Nagar and reach at Janakpuri at Tillu Chowk.
Finaly on July 9, the deities will return to their abode. Similarly, in the Jagannath Temple at Gayatri Nagar special prayer would be performed by 11 priests on Sunday. The temple service trust chairman Purandar Mishra said the deities would be taken to their respective chariots. The devotees would pull the chariots from the venue to BTI Ground. After that the deities will reach at Gundicha temple. The return journey of the deities would commence on July 7, he said.