HYDERABAD: The Shri Jagannath’s annual rath yatra was celebrated in the city by temples dedicated to Lord Sree Krishna. While Sri Sri Radha Madanmohan Iskcon at Abids took out the procession from NTR Stadium to the Lord Jagannath temple in the General Bazaar, with Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy participating in the programme. Other temples also organised processions in a grand manner.
The festival was also celebrated by the Sri Jagannath Swamy Ramgopal Trust that has been organizing the rath yatra for 130 years, and the Sri Jagannath temple in Road No. 12, Banjara Hills.
The rath yatra is the annual journey of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra. In Puri, where the main celebration is held, the deities travel from Srimandir to Srigundicha temple, and return after nine days. The rath yatra is replicated a several places.
People wearing traditional attire and tilaks on their foreheads similar to the ones believed to have been worn by Lord Krishna, chanted slogans, and walked along with the chariot which had the idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra with some of them pulling the chariot. The processionists chanted “Hare Krishna Hare Rama“ and “Jai Jaganath”.
Many kids in the procession were dressed up as Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha. When the processions were underway, many passersby with folded hands bowed down to the deities and also touched the rath and sought blessings. Prasad was distributed to passersby by the organisers. At several places in the city, the roads were decked up with rangoli on which the chariot rolled.
The Nandighosa chariot at the NTR Stadium carrying Lord Jagannath, was decorated with colourful rangoli and a group of women performed the traditional Kolattam dance. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, many people said they cherished the rath yatra.
Neha who hails from Odisha said she was pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming response to the rath yatra. “I’m feeling happy, I felt like I returned to my home town,” she said.
Secunderabad also saw spirited rath yatra celebrations, with chanting, dancing, and the procession captivating onlookers. The Secunderabad Iskcon event drew a massive crowd, starting at Hari Hara Kala Bhavan and passing through RP Road, Bata Crossroads, Monda Market, Clock Tower, and Sangeet Theatre junction. Purushama Karuna Das of Iskcon said, "Every year, we eagerly participate in this yatra. It’s a major festival for us, and we are extremely happy to see so many devotees joining in today."
