Digha, Jun 26 (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee convened a high-level meeting on Thursday, just a day before the Rath Yatra festival, with officials from the Digha Shankarpur Development Authority (DSDA), police, and ISKCON monks at the newly constructed Jagannath temple in Digha.
Post meeting, Banerjee conducted an inspection of the three ceremonial chariots belonging to Lord Jagannath and his siblings, which were stationed near the temple, as informed by a DSDA official.
She also assessed the 1km yatra route alongside DSDA officials and police personnel.
Chief Minister Banerjee was overheard instructing Director General of Police Rajiv Kumar, "Follow this route. Everything has to be smooth and helpful for the people," as Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya and other prominent figures observed.
The coastal town of Digha, situated in Purba Medinipur district, has been lavishly decorated in preparation for the festivities, adorned with temple-themed cutouts, immense deific images, and illuminations crafted by artists hailing from Chandernagore.
Saffron flags featuring Lord Jagannath, along with banners proclaiming 'Welcome to Jagannath Dham,' were prominently displayed along the 180 km stretch of national highway extending from Kolkata to Digha.
As thousands of devotees have already made their way to Digha, devotional songs dedicated to Lord Jagannath reverberated through the continuous public address system.
In the meantime, the ruling TMC shared on platform X, proclaiming, "The wait is over, the divine darshan begins! On this holy day of Netrotsav, devotees rejoice as the deities appear in all their glory. #JoyJagannath."
Radharamn Das, the ISKCON vice-president, disclosed that approximately 30 lakh individuals have visited the temple since its inauguration on April 30, with many more expected to participate on Rath Yatra day.
Das further mentioned that the Chief Minister will partake in pulling the ropes of the chariot on June 27.
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