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Jagannath Rath Yatra
The West Bengal government has decided to keep an air ambulance in Digha during the return car festival of Lord Jagannath's Rath Yatra, an official said. The decision to keep an air ambulance in Digha during the 'Ulto Rath Yatra' (return car festival) of Lord Jagannath was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the state secretariat on Wednesday, he said. "A helicopter has been asked to be deployed on the day of Ulto Rath on July 5. The helicopter operating agency has already been informed. The air ambulance will be kept on standby from noon on July 4. This arrangement is to avoid any delay in bringing someone sick to a hospital in Kolkata," he said. The state government is expecting a huge turnout of people during the return car festival of Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra in Digha on July 5, the official added. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inaugurated the first 'Rath Yatra' from the newly constructed Jagannath temple in the coastal town of Digha on
The Odisha government on Thursday sought information from public regarding the stampede that took place near Shree Gundicha Temple in Puri during a ceremony related to ongoing Rath Yatra festivities in which three persons were killed and 50 others injured. The state government through a public notice urged the people to share information, video footage or any other materials related to the stampede which took place early on Sunday for a proper and transparent inquiry into the incident. The public notice issued by the Planning and Convergence department, also mentioned that any individual or organisation can share their information regarding how such an incident took place. "The members of the public are urged to share information, video footage or any other material through the e-mail puritragedy.enquiry@odisha.gov.in by July 20," an official said. This apart, the notice said that the interested persons can meet and share information with Development Commissioner and Additional Chi
Following the death of three devotees in a stampede near Shree Gundicha Temple in Puri, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Tuesday reached the pilgrim town to review the arrangements made for the upcoming rituals related to Rath Yatra. Majhi is scheduled to meet the stakeholders associated with the Rath Yatra activities, an official said. After the stampede on Sunday, the chief minister himself issued an apology to the devotees. Majhi now wants to make sure that the remaining rituals, such as 'Bahuda Yatra' (return car festival), 'Suna Besha' (golden attire) and 'Niladri Bije' (deities' entry to main temple) are completed smoothly. Ahead of the chief minister's visit, Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan held a marathon discussion with the senior servitors and listened to their grievances, like restrictions on them to climb the chariots, housing issues and children's education. The Jagannath temple in Puri functions under the law department of the state government. We had a
A day after three people were killed and 50 others injured in a stampede near Shree Gundicha temple in Puri, thousands of devotees on Tuesday made a beeline to have a darshan of the sibling deities -- Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath. In view of Monday's incident, barricades have been erected in front of the Shree Gundicha temple and different queues made for the smooth darshan of the deities at 'Adapa Mandap' (the podium on which the deities are seated) situated inside the temple, a senior police officer said. "We are alert... by the grace of the Lord, everything is running smoothly. Devotees are entering the Shree Gundicha Temple without any hassle," said Soumendra Priyadarshi, an ADG-rank IPS officer who has been assigned the responsibility of overseeing the police arrangement during Rath Yatra. He was assigned the task by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi after the stampede. Devotees believe that they can wash away their sins if they have darshan of Lord Jagann
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday sought forgiveness from devotees of Lord Jagannath for the stampede near a temple in Puri, and tendered an apology on behalf of his government for the incident that left at least three people dead. Around 50 others were also injured in the stampede near Shree Gundicha Temple in the early hours of Sunday, officials said. I and my government seek forgiveness from all Jagannath devotees. We express our condolences to the families of devotees who lost their lives... pray to Mahaprabhu Jagannath to grant them the strength to bear this profound sorrow, Majhi said in a post on X. He also said that security lapses behind the incident will be probed and those found guilty would face stringent action. This negligence is unpardonable. An immediate investigation into the security lapses will be conducted, and I have directed that necessary steps be taken to initiate exemplary action against those responsible, Majhi said. The incident took pla
BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Sunday claimed that the stampede near Gundicha Temple in Odisha's Puri exposed the state government's glaring incompetence in ensuring a peaceful Rath Yatra for devotees. At least three persons were killed and around 50 others injured in the stampede near the temple in the early hours of Sunday, a senior official said. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the three devotees who have lost their lives in the tragic stampede at Saradhabali, #Puri and I pray to Mahaprabhu Jagannatha for the swift recovery of the devotees injured in this devastating incident, Patnaik said in a post on X. Today's stampede, occurring just a day after the abysmal failure of crowd management during the #RathYatra that left hundreds injured, exposes the government's glaring incompetence in ensuring a peaceful festival for devotees, the Leader of Opposition in Odisha assembly said. The incident took place around 4 am when hundreds of devotees gathered near the .
Nearly 625 people fell ill and many had to be admitted to hospitals due to sweltering heat and overcrowding during Rath Yatra here on Friday, officials said. According to Puri Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Dr. Kishore Satapathy, several people reported minor injuries, vomiting, and fainting primarily due to overcrowded conditions. "Most of them were discharged after receiving preliminary treatment at OPDs. There were no casualties," he added. Odisha Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling said the primary cause of illness among devotees was extreme heat and humid conditions. Around 70 people were undergoing treatment at the District Headquarters Hospital in Puri, with nine reported to be in critical condition, an official said. Meanwhile, sources claimed that a number of people were injured near Balagandi area where Lord Balabhadra's chariot, Taladhwaja, remained stuck for over an hour. "The prolonged halt led to a dense buildup of crowd, resulting in several
Idols of Lord Jagannath and his two siblings were placed inside their chariots in front of the new temple in West Bengal's Digha town, where the Rath Yatra will begin in a few hours on Friday. All other preparations for the festival are in full swing, while the administration is ready to conduct the event smoothly, an official said. "The idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra were put up in their chariots kept near the main temple gate as the sibling deities were being decked up for their annual sojourn to their aunt's place," International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Vice President Radharanan Das told PTI. As part of the festival, the three chariots will be taken out from the temple around 2:30 pm, and the entire journey will be over by 4 pm, officials said. The sweeping of the 750 km route of the Rath Yatra by a golden broom will begin at 1:45 pm. Accompanied by monks of the temple and others, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will per
Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee in Odisha's Puri has written to the ISKCON, urging it to ensure that Lord Jagannath's ceremonial bathing rituals and the Rath Yatra across the world are performed on the specific date sanctioned by scriptures and not to violate traditions. Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb of Puri, the chairman of the committee, expressed displeasure over some of the ISKCON temples across the world performing the sacred bathing rituals ('Snana Yatra') and the Rath Yatra on various dates, and alleged that such practices "violate the scriptures and the Hindu calendar". In a letter to Shree Govardhan Das Prabhu, chairman of ISKCON Governing Body Commission, Mayapur, Deb said, I request your good self to ensure that no ISKCON temple or centre anywhere in the world performs the 'Snana Yatra' or 'Ratha Yatra' of Lord Shree Jagannath on a date/tithi not sanctioned by scriptures and traditions." Deb also claimed that the temples of the ISKCON authorities outside Ind
Odisha Police has prepared massive security arrangements for the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath later this month, an official said on Tuesday. Director General of Police Y B Khurania on Monday held a high-level meeting with top police officers including those looking after intelligence, law and order, rail and coastal security. He ordered them to give special attention to incidents like possible stampede situation, drive against criminals and devotees amenities. The DGP also stressed on the deployment of K9 squad or dog squad, the official said. Several Union ministers and many VVIPs are likely to visit Puri during the Rath Yatra as Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has invited many Union ministers and chief ministers of NDA-ruled states to visit Puri during the Rath Yatra. Last year President Droupadi Murmu had witnessed the Rath Yatra festival in Puri. The DGP also directed to ensure smooth traffic movement, barricade arrangements, and quick resolution of various problems i
The Jagannath temple authorities in Puri will take up the matter with the Indian authorities of ISKCON over its plan to hold an "untimely Rath Yatra" in the US, Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said. He said several socio-cultural organisations met him and expressed concern over the plan of ISKCON's Houston unit to conduct Lord Jagannath's 'Snan Yatra' (bathing festival) and Rath Yatra (chariot festival) in November, deviating from the normal practice at the temple in Puri where it is held a few months back at a stipulated time period. Many people including priests of the Jagannath temple are of the opinion that all rituals of the Lord across the world should be observed following religious practices held at Puri, the law minister said on Monday. The Puri Jagannath temple falls under the jurisdiction of the state government's law department. "The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration will hold talks with ISKCON and I hope a positive result will emerge," Harichandan ...
The Ratna Bhandar, the revered treasury of the 12th-century Jagannath temple in Puri, was reopened on Thursday for the second time in a week for shifting of valuables to a temporary strong room, officials said. The treasury was reopened at 9.51 am, they said. After offering prayers before Lord Jagannath and his siblings, the members of a supervisory committee set up by the Odisha government for the shifting of valuables from the Ratna Bhandar, entered the temple around 9 am. Speaking to media persons before entering the temple, the supervising committee's chairman and Orissa High Court former judge Justice Biswanath Rath said, We sought the blessings of Lord Jagannath for smooth completion of shifting of all valuables stored inside the inner chamber of the treasury." Last time, the treasury was opened on July 14 after 46 years. On that day, the ornaments and valuables of the outer chamber of the Ratna Bhandar were shifted to a strong room. Justice Rath also requested Puri's Titula