Jagannath Rath Yatra: The annual Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri, Odisha, is set to commence on Sunday, July 7, in a rare two-day celebration. President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to grace the auspicious festival this year which will attract over lakhs of devotees.
Typically, the Rath Yatra for Lord Jagannath is a one-day event, but this year, due to specific arrangements, the festivities will span across two days, a rarity in recent history. The newly elected Odisha government has implemented special arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of the festival, particularly in light of President Murmu's visit, given her roots in the Mayurbhanj district.
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2-Day Public Holiday In Odisha
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has declared a two-day public holiday on July 7 and 8 to coincide with the Rath Yatra celebrations. The chariots have been positioned in front of the Lion's Gate of the Jagannath Temple, ready to be pulled by the devotees on Sunday afternoon.
This year's Rath Yatra holds particular significance as several rituals involving the three sibling deities - Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra - will be performed on a single day, Sunday, July 7. Typically, these rituals, such as 'Nabajouban Darshan' and 'Netra Utsav', are conducted before the Rath Yatra.
The Odisha government has made extensive arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of the annual festival. Puri Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain stated, "With the cooperation from all stakeholders, all the rituals are going on smoothly. With the blessings of Lord Jagannath, all other rituals will also be conducted according to schedule."
Puri Superintendent of Police (SP) Pinak Mishra added that 180 platoons (one platoon comprises 30 personnel) of security forces from both the state and central governments have been deployed to manage law and order and control the crowd during the festival. A green corridor has been prepared to quickly transport anyone who falls ill from the crowd to the hospital and Artificial Intelligence-based CCTV cameras have been installed at Badadanda, the festival venue and other key locations in the town.
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Security Arrangements For President Murmu's Visit
Special security measures are in place for President Murmu's visit to the festival. A VIP zone is planned for the Odisha Governor, Chief Minister, Union Ministers and other dignitaries, while a buffer zone is reserved for the President. A dedicated team led by a senior SP rank officer has been organised to oversee President Murmu's visit to the pilgrim town.
Expecting a crowd of 10 to 15 lakh people, the fire service department has made necessary arrangements. DG, Fire Service, Sudhanshu Sarangi, mentioned that 46 modern fire tenders have been stationed throughout the town and along the sea beach for the Rath Yatra. To combat the expected hot and humid weather, water will be sprinkled on the crowd to keep them cool.