Digha's Rath Yatra Festival: A Divine Journey with Safety Measures

Digha, June 26 (PTI) The grand Rath Yatra festival, originating from the newly constructed Jagannath temple in Digha, is set to take place this Friday with significant precautions in place, as pilgrims will be required to stand behind barricades along the 1 km procession route. They will not be allowed to spill onto the streets to pull the ropes of the chariots of the sibling deities, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Thursday. She conveyed this after a high-level meeting with officials of the Digha Shankarpur Development Authority (DSDA), senior police officers, and ISKCON monks. The festival is anticipated to attract a vast number of devotees. However, the pilgrims will have the opportunity to touch the chariot ropes, which will be placed alongside the barricades, Banerjee assured. "Allowing people onto the streets to pull the raths could lead to chaos," she stated. The chariot procession is slated to begin at 2:30 pm, with ceremonial rituals at the temple starting from 9 am, according to officials. The chariots, moving slowly, are expected to take nearly two hours to cover the distance, allowing the large gathering of pilgrims to witness and be part of the event. On Wednesday, Banerjee, who arrived in Digha to oversee the festival preparations, inspected the three ceremonial chariots of Lord Jagannath and his siblings stationed near the temple, said a DSDA official. She also reviewed the route of the Yatra with DSDA officials and police personnel, emphasizing the importance of a smooth experience for the people. Digha, the seaside resort town in Purba Medinipur district, is adorned with temple-themed cutouts, giant deity images, and decorative lights crafted by artists from Chandernagore, in preparation for the celebrations. Saffron flags with images of Lord Jagannath and banners welcoming visitors to 'Jagannath Dham' line the entire 180 km national highway from Kolkata to Digha. As thousands of devotees have already arrived in Digha, devotional songs dedicated to Lord Jagannath continue to play over the public address system. In a post on X, the ruling TMC expressed, "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." ISKCON vice-president Radharamn Das noted that around 30 lakh people have visited the temple since its inauguration on April 30, with many more expected for Rath Yatra day. CM Mamata Banerjee is also set to participate in pulling the chariot ropes on June 27, Das added. Banerjee later informed reporters that the chariots will be taken out at 2:30 pm, with the entire journey concluding by 4 pm. "Pujas will commence this evening, and preparations for pulling the chariots will start at 8:30 am tomorrow," she concluded.