Team News Riveting
Raipur, June 27
The Rath Yatra festival was organized with traditional reverence, devotion and grandeur in the historic and ancient Shri Jagannath temple Dokra of Jashpur district in Chhattisgarh.
Before the departure of Rath Yatra from the temple, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and his wife Smt. Kaushalya Devi Sai prayed to Lord Shri Jagannath, brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra in the Jagannath temple with full rituals and wished for the happiness, prosperity and welfare of the people of the state. The Chief Minister performed the ritual of Chhera-Pahara by sweeping the path of Rath Yatra with a broom.
Sai participated in the Rath Yatra with devotion along with thousands of devotees, who pulled the chariot of Lord Shri Jagannath, brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra. The entire atmosphere echoed with the chanting of Jai Jagannath, bhajan-kirtan and devotional gaiety. Rath Yatra reached Mausibari via the main roads.
Lord Shri Jagannath, brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra will stay at their aunt’s house Mausibari for nine days. On the ninth day, July 5, the auspicious return will be to Shri Jagannath Temple, Dokra. This event has been organized in accordance with the tradition of Puri Dham of Odisha.
The Rath Yatra started in Dokra in the year 1942 with devotion and dedication by Late Shri Sudarshan Satpathy and his wife Late Smt. Sushila Satpathy. Since then, the tradition continues uninterrupted with constant devotion and enthusiasm. With time, this event has now taken the form of a grand religious fair, in which huge participation of devotees is seen.
On the auspicious occasion of Rath Yatra, Kirtan troupes invited from Odisha gave captivating performances of devotional music, which made the atmosphere devotional. Along with this, many religious and cultural tableaux were also included in the Rath Yatra, which were displaying the glory of Lord Shri Jagannath and the grandeur of cultural diversity in a very attractive manner.
Members of Shri Jagannath Temple Committee Dokra informed that the Rath Yatra Mahaparva is celebrated as a nine-day grand religious and cultural festival. On the occasion, the temple complex and Dokra village are immersed in full devotion and enthusiasm. During the entire festival, various religious rituals, bhajans, musical presentations, cultural programs as well as various competitions for children and youth are organized, which fills the entire area with spiritual energy and cultural colors.
A huge fair has also been organized in Dokra on the occasion of Rath Yatra, which further enhances the beauty of the festival. Swings, stalls of delicious dishes, traditional handicraft shops and other attractions are present in the fair premises for entertainment that become the center of joy for everyone. The event is a wonderful confluence of faith, culture and social harmony.
