Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath – Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Sudarshan – was held in Tripura on Sunday with traditional devotion and enthusiasm. The Yatra of the holy trinity was performed without any untoward incident in the State.
Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha inaugurated the Rath Yatra festival organized by ISKCON in Agartala today. Apart from the ISKCON, Jagannath Temple of Agartala also brought out Rath. A large number of devotees pulled the holy rope of the Raths as the chariots roamed through city thoroughfares.
Besides, children brought out several mini-chariots across the State on this occasion adding traditional charm and fervor.
Inaugurating the ISKCON Rath, Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha expressed that there is no greater happiness than witnessing a joyous festival celebrated without any incidents and emphasized that everyone will work together to ensure this.
“Yesterday, I inaugurated the traditional Rath Yatra at Melaghar, which is being held today. Over 400 stalls were set up, and people from Bangladesh also attended. During the princely regime, when the partition took place, the temple moved to Melaghar. The temple of Lord Jagannath has many stories, and it signifies that on this day, God comes and stays with us. The meaning of Jagannath is ‘Lord of the World,’” said Dr. Saha.
Dr. Saha noted that various religious texts like the Brahma Purana and the Padma Purana mention the history of Ratha Yatra.
“The Ratha Yatra of Puri, Odisha, is one of the most renowned Ratha Yatras in the world. I remember visiting the Jagannath Temple in Odisha during an oath-taking ceremony. After Covid, only one door was open, and the day after my return, all the doors were opened. ISKCON celebrates the Ratha Yatra across the world. God is with us, so there is nothing to worry about,” he said.
He also mentioned an unfortunate incident at Kumarghar in the Unakoti District last year, which prompted him to personally speak with all the District Magistrates and District Superintendents of Police through video conferencing this year.
“I provided them with some suggestions, including maintaining the height of the chariot. I instructed them to have ambulances, power department personnel, and personnel from the Tripura Police and Fire and Emergency Services on standby. This has been well-maintained in Melaghar and here too. There is no greater happiness than seeing a joyous festival celebrated without any incident, and everyone will work together to make it happen,” he added.
The Rath Yatra was conducted in other parts of the State in a peaceful and jovial manner.
(Tripura, Tripura News)
