NAHAN (HP), Jul 7: Thousands of devotees participated in the Shri Jagannath Rath Yatra, taken out here with fervour on Sunday.
Political leaders across party lines, administrative personalities, society and religious leaders of different religions were among the thousands of devotees who participated in the holy procession and paid obeisance to Lord Jagannath.
Nahan market on Sunday remained closed as local Beopar Mandal had decided to participate in the Rath Yatra by keeping their businesses closed.
The BJP state president Rajiv Bindal inaugurated the event, participated in the rituals on this occasion and took part in the Rath Yatra, which began from the Shri Jagannath temple in Bara Chowk, in the heart of the town, went through Mall road up to Raghunath temple in Katcha tank and came back through the market after taking a round.
The idols of Lord Shri Jagannath, Shri Balbhadra and Devi Subhadra were placed in a palanquin after vedic pooja in Nahan Chowgan, and the idols of Lord Jagannath and other deities were put in a Rath.
As soon as the Rath of Lord Jagannath left Chaugan ground, thousands of devotees joined the Yatra and pulled the Rath of Lord Jagannath.
Prakash Bansal, president of Shri Jagannath ji Rath Yatra Mandal, Nahan and the organiser of Rath Yatra, told PTI that in 2009, some enthusiastic youths of the town took out the first ‘Rath Yatra’ of Lord Jagannath on the pattern of the famous Rath Yatra of Shri Jagannath Puri. It has now become the biggest annual religious celebration of the town, with thousands of devotees participating.
This was the fifteenth such celebration in a row. The size of this celebration is increasing every year, with new devotees joining the yatra in huge numbers. The Yatra was welcomed by the people of all faiths and religions in the town, Bansal added. (PTI)
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