Mumbai/Bhubaneswar: More than 10,000 devotees, including a large number of Odias and people from different communities, participated in the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath held at Balaji Angan Temple in Sector 3 of Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, on Friday. The festival was organised by the Jay Jagannath Lok Charan Trust with support from several Odia organisations and volunteers.
The celebrations began with the traditional Pahandi procession of the deities followed by Niti Puja. Ram Prasad Muduli performed the ceremonial Chera Pahanra, the ritual sweeping of the chariot, before devotees pulled the chariot amid devotional chants, traditional drumbeats and music.
The 24-foot-tall chariot was taken from Balaji Angan Temple in Sector 3 to the Mausi Maa Temple in Sector 12, where rituals, including the offering of bhog, were performed. Following the ceremonies, the deities were ceremonially brought back to the main temple amid enthusiastic participation by thousands of devotees.
Prasad was distributed to devotees after the rituals, while cultural programmes added to the festive atmosphere.
Ram Prasad Muduli, the chief initiator of the Rath Yatra in Navi Mumbai, has been organising the festival since 2006. Since 2008, the event has been conducted under the banner of the Jay Jagannath Lok Charan Trust with the active participation of Odia associations, trust members and sevaks.
A notable feature of the celebration is the chariot, which has been handcrafted for the past 21 years by Muslim artisan Mohammad Hanif Kachi. Fondly referred to by devotees as “Salbeg” after the legendary Muslim devotee of Lord Jagannath, Kachi spent around 40 days building the chariot with the support of trust members.
The Rath Yatra also received support from several organisations, including the Swami Abhayadesh Nanda Welfare Committee and members of various Odia associations, reflecting the inclusive and community-driven nature of the annual celebration.
