Ulta Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath celebrated in West Bengal

'Ulta Rath Yatra', the return car festival of Lord Jagannath was celebrated at Mayapur, the global headquarters of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Nadia district, apart from different parts of West Bengal.

After their stay in Gundicha temple at Prabhupad Ghat Mayapur for nine days, the deities - Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Lord Balabhadra and sister Devi Subhadra went back to Rajapur temple in chariots which were decorated with variety of colourful flowers.

Apart from devotees from the country, people from Australia, Spain, America, Peru, Britain, France, Brazil, Russia, China also took part in the return car festival at ISKCON, Mayapur with more than 30,000 people pulling the chariots, an ISKCON spokesman said.

The journey was marked by beating of bells and 'khol' (drums) and blowing of conch shells and traditional dances performed in front of the chariots.

Meanwhile, braving rains thousands pulled the chariot of Lord Jagannath at Mahesh in Hooghly district apart from Kolkata and elsewhere in the state.

In Kolkata, thousands of devotees pulled the chariots of three deities from Outram Road, J L Nehru Road, S N Banerjee Road, CIT Road to reach the ISKCON temple on Albert Road during the return journey.

Elsewhere in different parts of city, several organisations and households brought out chariots which were pulled by hundreds of people.