Bhubaneswar: Rukuna Rath Yatra, the annual car festival of Lord Lingaraj, commenced in Bhubaneswar on Saturday on the occasion of Ashokastami.
After a series of rituals that began early in the morning, Lord Lingaraj’s chariot rolled out on Rath Road in the evening, with thousands of enthusiastic devotees pulling the chariot.
Sounds of conch shells, gongs, cymbals, Haribol, and hulhuli rent the air creating a devotional atmosphere on the Rath Road. Despite a delay in rituals, which pushed the chariot pulling back from the scheduled 3.30 pm, lakhs of devotees gathered to witness the grand event.
The day’s rituals started at 5 am with mangala arati, followed by sahana mela darshan. The mahasnan ritual took place between 7 pm and 8 am, after rosha or pak puja and chhamu pariskar niti. The devotees braved the heat to pull the chariot which commenced around 5.30 pm.
To ensure smooth and peaceful procession and safety of devotee, elaborate security arrangements were made amid the deployment of 13 platoons of police force in the temple area.
During this five-day journey, Lord Lingaraj, Dolagobinda, and sister Rukmini will visit the Rameswar shrine, with the Bahuda Yatra scheduled after four days.
