Jagannath Rath Yatra to start tomorrow: Here's all you should know

The nine-day annual festival of Jagannath Rath Yatra festival will begin tomorrow and it is expected that lakhs of devotees would congregate in the pilgrim town to witness the chariot festival. Tight security arrangements for have been put in place to ensure smooth conduct of Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath and his siblings in Puri. Large numbers of police personnel have deployed to give proper security arrangement to the devotees and tourists during Gundicha Yatra, Bahuda Yatra, Sunavesha, Nabajoubana Darshana and Niladribije. 140 platoons of police force and 1,000 officers will be deployed during Rath Yatra.

The three chariots of the deities are ready and has been put near the temple for yatra tomorrow. The chariots carrying the deities will be pulled by the devotees to Gundicha temple on July 14 after a series of rituals. Lakhs of devotees have already reached the Puri district to take part in this grand annual event.



Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Ministry has rejected the request of Odisha Police to declare 'Bada Danda' (the grand road) as a "no fly zone" during the Ratha Yatra.

What's the importance of Rath Yatra:
The festival commemorates the annual journey of Lord Jagannath, Lord Baldev, and their sister Subhadra to their aunt's place, the Gundicha Temple and it is said that anyone who gets the opportunity to pull their cart on way is bestowed with the benediction of washing away all the sins he may have committed in all his previous births.

The Lord Jagannath is the only god among Hinduism who goes out of the temple to take a journey.