Rath Yatra to take place in Vizag after 2 years

Visakhapatnam: Sanskrutika Samaj, a premier socio-cultural organisation of Odias residing in Visakhapatnam, has made elaborate arrangements for organising this year's annual Rath Yatra Festival on July 1.

The Samaj is reviving the nine-day celebration after making it a symbolic celebration during the past two years due to restrictions imposed to check Covid-19 pandemic. The colourful procession of the chariot carrying the deities of Lord Jagannath, sister Subhadra and brother Balabhadra (Balarama) will be taken out from the Jagannath Temple Complex at Daspalla Hills to Gundicha Ghar, the aunt's place of Lord Jagannath.

Utkal Sanskrutika Samaj President and Orissa Stevedores Ltd (OSL) Vice President J.K. Nayak and General Secretary Bimal Kumar Mahanta told the media on Wednesday that the festival will attract people from all walks of life and communities wherein they get the opportunity to offer prayers. The festival has significance as once during the festival Lord Jagannath comes to the streets from the sanctum sanctorum to enable the common man to have darshan.