Ratha Yatra festival ends with pulling ropes of Ulto Ratha

Ratha Yatra, the chariot festival of Sri Jagannath Dev which is one of the major festivals of the Hindu community, ended today with the celebration of Ulto Ratha Yatra (reverse journey).

Marking Ulto Ratha Yatra, different rituals were held at temples across the country.

The day’s programmes began in the morning included rendering of Harisangkirtan, holding of Agnihotra Joggo seeking world peace and people’s welfare.

Recitation of verses from Srimat Bhagabat Geeta, distribution of moha prosad, discussions, rendition of padaboli kirtan and arati, cultural function, staging of religious drama and screening of religious films were also held at temples across the country.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) chalked out an eight-day programme in Dhaka.

Under the arrangement of ISKCON, a colorful procession with chariots was brought out from Dhakeshwari National Temple in the afternoon today.

A discussion was held on the premises of Dhaka National Temple before the procession.

State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Swapan Bhattacharjee joined the discussion as the chief guest.

Then, a huge number of devotees pulled the ropes of the chariots with deities of Jagannath (Vishnu avatar), Balaram, or Balabhadra (his brother), Subhadra (his sister) and Sudarshana Chakra (his weapon) from Dhakeshwari Temple through Palashi Crossing, Jagannath Hall, Central Shaheed Minar, Doel Chattar, High Court crossing, Secretariat, GPO intersection, Gulistan, Dainik Bangla intersection, Motijheel Shapla Chattar and Jaikali Temple, and will round up the Ratha Yatra on the premises of the ISKCON temple at Swamibagh.

Besides, the Ulto Ratha Yatra was also celebrated at Ramseeta Mandir at Joikali Mandir Road at Shankharibazar and Jagannath Jeo Mandir at Tantibazar in old city and other places across the country.

Special security measures were taken marking the festival to avert any untoward incidents.

Ratha Yatra is a journey in a chariot with deities of Jagannath (Vishnu avatar), Balaram, or Balabhadra (his brother), Subhadra (his sister) and Sudarshana Chakra (his weapon) on a ratha, a wooden deula-shaped chariot accompanied by people in colorful procession.

It attracts over a million Hindu pilgrims who join the procession each year in the Indian subcontinent including Bangladesh for long.

The Ratha Yatra of Puri is considered the oldest and largest Hindu chariot festival celebrated annually, on the bright half of the lunar month of Aashar (June-July). (BSS)