World famous Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath and his 2 siblings begins today at Puri in Odisha –

The most awaited, largest annual festival of Rath Yatra, also known as the Chariot Festival in Puri, is about to commence shortly. This is one of the most awaited Hindu festivals in the country and the world. The famous festival, usually celebrated in June-July, begins when Lord Jagannath and his two siblings – elder brother Lord Balabhadra and younger sister Devi Subhadra are ready to give darshan to the public in the Chariots and visit their birthplace, Gundicha Temple. The deities spend a nine-day stay at the Gundicha Temple. The three majestic chariots are ready and parked in front of the Singha Dwar of Jagannath Temple. Currently, the rituals of the Lords are going on inside the temple. Since the deities will appear to the public, the day is extraordinary, attracting devotees to the pilgrim city. A report from our correspondent:
 
Akashavni correspondent reports that A total of one hundred and forty-eight festivals are celebrated annually at the Puri Jagannath temple. Of these, Rath Yatra is the most renowned. According to the ritual schedule, devotees will begin pulling the chariots around 4 pm. The Yatra, which starts from the Puri temple, will end at the Shree Gundicha temple, covering a nearly 3-kilometre distance. While Taladhwaja of Lord Balabhadra will roll along the Puri Grand Road, Darpadalana of Devi Subhadra will be the first to trail behind. Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosha, the largest of the three chariots, will follow after the other two. It is expected that the chariots will reach Gundicha Temple before sunset. The deities will have a nine-day sojourn at Gundicha temple, and they will return to Shree Mandir after completing the Yatra on the same chariots, called ‘Bahuda Yatra’ or the return car festival, on the 5th of July. The Puri Shree Mandir Administration anticipates that about 13 Lakh people will participate in the chariot festival. Multi-layer security arrangements have been put in place to ensure the smooth conduct of the festival. SN Pattnaik Akashvani News.