|
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday extended his greetings on the occasion of the Jagannath Rath Yatra, terming the festival a "unique and supreme tradition of the Sanatan culture" dedicated to Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra.
Speaking to ANI, Pradhan explained the rituals of the Rath Yatra, emphasising that the Lord himself chose this occasion to bless the citizens and the general public. "Today is the sacred Rath Yatra, the unique and supreme festival of the Sanatan tradition, dedicated to Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath Ji, Mahaprabhu Shri Balabhadra Ji, and Mata Subhadra Ji. Today, in just a little while, the Lords will step out from the temple, performing the Pahandi ritual, and ascend their chariots. They will then journey to their maternal aunt's (Mausi Maa) house and reach there by evening. Mahaprabhu Himself has ordained this fortunate occasion to grant His divine audience (darshan) to the citizens and the public. I am incredibly fortunate to have the blessing of witnessing Mahaprabhu's darshan today," Pradhan said. Meanwhile, renowned sand artist and Padma Shri awardee Sudarsan Pattnaik created a special sand sculpture at Puri Beach in Odisha, featuring Mahaprabhu Jagannath alongside 100 miniature sand chariots. The Jagannath Rath Yatra also drew the attention of devotees from foreign countries. Eric Parker, a resident of California, USA, who has travelled to 126 nations, shared that he had been waiting for this occasion for the past decade. "I want to experience the whole thing--the chariots coming down the road, the people pulling them, the enthusiasm of the crowd, and everything else. I've been waiting for this for 10 years. I have travelled to 126 countries and have been to India three times. I'm really excited about this. I came here especially for this occasion," he said. Another foreign tourist, visiting from South Korea, was deeply moved by the atmosphere in Jagannath Puri and described it as "amazing." "This place is incredible. The Indian people pray to God with deep devotion and sincerity. It is truly amazing, and it touches my heart. There are so many people gathered here," the tourist said. The Jagannath Rath Yatra, one of Hinduism's most significant festivals, draws lakhs of devotees every year, with elaborate security and logistical arrangements put in place across states to ensure its smooth and peaceful conduct. (ANI)
|
