Grand Conclusion of Puri’s Rath Yatra Festival

The annual Rath Yatra festival in Puri concluded with the chariots of deities reaching the Jagannath temple. Thousands of devotees participated as the chariots were pulled amidst chants and rituals. The event saw significant security measures, and upcoming rituals were scheduled for the deities in the days following the festival.

The annual nine-day Rath Yatra festival in Puri concluded on Monday as the chariots of sibling deities Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Balabhadra reached the 12th-century Jagannath temple.

The chariots were pulled by thousands of devotees amid chants of 'Jai Jagannath', arriving at the Singha Dwar, or Lion's Gate, of the temple. The Bahuda Yatra, or return car festival, witnessed lakhs of devotees from across the country and abroad.

Lord Balabhadra's chariot, Taladwaja, and Devi Subhadra's, Dabadalan, reached the Lion's Gate before sunset, while Lord Jagannath's Nandighosh arrived after a ritual called "Laxmi Narayan Bhet" near the Raj Nahar, the titular king's palace.

(With inputs from agencies.)