Bhubaneswar: President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday extended their heartfelt greetings to people of the state on the auspicious occasion of Rath Yatra.
Taking to the social media, President wished people in three different scripts including Odia, English and Hindi.
ପବିତ୍ର ରଥଯାତ୍ରାର ଶୁଭାରମ୍ଭ ଅବସରରେ ଦେଶବାସୀଙ୍କୁ ମୋର ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା ଓ ଶୁଭକାମନା । ପ୍ରଭୁ ଜଗନ୍ନାଥଙ୍କର ଆଶୀର୍ବାଦରେ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କ ଜୀବନ ଶାନ୍ତି, ସୁଖ ଏବଂ ସମୃଦ୍ଧିରେ ପରିପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ରହୁ । —
ରାଷ୍ଟ୍ରପତି କୋବିନ୍ଦ୍— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) July 14, 2018
Similarly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his greetings to the people with a video of his own voice. The PM said, “With the blessings of Lord Jagannath, may our country scale new heights of growth. May every Indian be happy and prosperous. Jai Jagannath!”
Greetings on the auspicious occasion of Rath Yatra.
With the blessings of Lord Jagannath, may our country scale new heights of growth. May every Indian be happy and prosperous.
Jai Jagannath! pic.twitter.com/1Ifrxueaiu
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 14, 2018
And Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik tweeted: “Warm wishes on the occasion of holy Rath Yatra. May Lord Jagannath guide us on path of peace, prosperity & unity. Jai Jagannath.”
ପବିତ୍ର ରଥଯାତ୍ରାରେ ତିନି ଠାକୁରଙ୍କୁ ମୋର ଭକ୍ତିପୁତ୍ତ ପ୍ରଣାମ। ମହାପ୍ରଭୁ ଶ୍ରୀ ଜଗନ୍ନାଥଙ୍କ ଅପାର କୃପାରୁ ରାଜ୍ୟର ପ୍ରଗତି ଓ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କ ସୁଖ, ସମୃଦ୍ଧି କାମନା କରୁଛି। ଜୟ ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ।
Warm wishes on occasion of holy #RathYatra. May Lord Jagannath guide us on path of peace, prosperity & unity.#JaiJagannath pic.twitter.com/9K3QEWocxk
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) July 14, 2018
Meanwhile, lakhs of devotees thronged the holy town of Puri to witness the grand Rath Yatra festival of Lord Jagannath and his siblings.
Puri district administration and police have put in place elaborate security arrangements to ensure that devotees have a hassle-free darshan of the trinity.
Two units of Rapid Action Force, two units of Odisha Swift Action Force, one unit each of National Disaster Response Force and Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force and two units of Odisha Special Tactical Unit have been deployed in Puri. Besides, a total of 142 platoons of armed police have been deployed during the festival.
