Mamata Banerjee inaugurates first Rath Yatra from new Jagannath temple

Thousands gathered from different parts of the state to attend the Rath Yatra festival in West Bengal's coastal town of Digha. The chief minister pulled the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra, along with her cabinet colleagues at 2:17 pm amid the chanting of 'Jai Jagannath' by thousands of pilgrims, including foreigners.

Banerjee announced that the devotees could touch the ropes of all three chariots from inside the barricades. At around 2 pm, the CM mopped the road with a golden broomstick in front of the three chariots and offered Aarti with earthen lamps.

The rituals started in the morning with 'Pahandi Vijay' at the newly-constructed Jagannath Dham Temple in Digha. The rituals prior to the idols being placed on the chariots started from 9 am. Pahandi Vijay is an important ceremony of the Rath Yatra. The idols of Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and the Sudarshan Chakra were taken in a procession from the temple to the chariot amid the chanting of mantras. This ritual is not only religious, but a medley of devotion, emotion and festivity.


"Rath Yatra is an occasion for great happiness. There is no division between Bhagwan and Bhaktas (devotees). Lakhs of devotees have come. There has been economic benefits for all the locals -- from the hotel businesses to shop owners," ISKCON Vice-President Radharaman Das said. The Jagannath Temple in Digha was inaugurated on the auspicious day of Akshay Tritiya on April 30.