Bhubaneswar: Despite the war-induced grim atmosphere prevailing in West Asia, Bahrain Odia Society and Iskcon Bahrain jointly celebrated Rath Yatra on the premises of the 200-year-old historic Shrinath Ji Temple in Manama in the Kingdom of Bahrain on Thursday.The festival was organised in strict adherence with the traditions of Jagannath Temple, Puri. Enthusiastic Odia devotees executed a ‘pahandi’ during which the deities were ceremonially taken to the chariot. This was followed by ‘chhera pahanra’ by Arun Kumar Praharaj, founding president of the Bahrain Odia Society. Nearly 8,000 devotees gathered to pull the chariot of Lord Jagannath.The festival was attended by several distinguished dignitaries, including senior officials from the King Hamad Global Center for Peaceful Coexistence, the director of the ‘Bahrain for All’ initiative, top diplomats from the Indian embassy, and the ambassador of Nepal.Odia expats in Bahrain presented Odissi dance performances and devotional music. To ensure that no devotee returned empty-handed, prasad was continuously served from morning until evening. Following the Rath Yatra, the nine-day annual rituals will continue at the Jagannath Temple in Segaya, Bahrain.“For the past 30 years, Bahrain Odia Society and Iskcon Bahrain have worked together with deep mutual respect to showcase the culture of love and peace embodied by Lord Jagannath in Bahrain. We express our heartfelt gratitude to the kind and noble rulers of the Kingdom of Bahrain for providing an atmosphere of love, respect, and freedom that allows people of different faiths to celebrate their heritage peacefully,” said Praharaj.
