Puri: Intermittent rain triggered by a low-pressure system over the past two days failed to dampen the spirit of nearly 8-9 lakh devotees who gathered for Rath Yatra on Thursday. Drenched pilgrims lined Grand Road for hours, waiting for a glimpse of Lord Jagannath and his siblings during their annual sojourn.The turnout was, however, around 30% lower than last year’s gathering of about 12 lakh devotees. Despite rain, ritual delays and a late start to chariot pulling, the enthusiasm remained undiminished.“It was God’s wish. We have no pain,” said Chandan Hota, a devotee from Rourkela, summing up the mood of surrender among pilgrims.Grand Road reverberated with chants of “Hari Bol” and “Jai Jagannath” as devotees pulled the chariot ropes. Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati and chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi also joined the ritual.The chief minister’s office described the festival as “peaceful, orderly and well managed”. In a statement, the CMO said the world-famous Rath Yatra was marked by “immense religious fervour, devotion and exemplary administrative coordination” despite persistent rainfall and inclement weather.According to the state government, two devotees died after falling ill during the festival. “Seven persons felt unwell and were immediately shifted to hospital. Among them, a male devotee aged above 60 years unfortunately succumbed. The exact cause of death is being ascertained,” the CMO said.“In a separate, unrelated incident, a 35-year-old male devotee suffered cardiac arrest and, despite immediate medical intervention, passed away,” the statement added, while ruling out any stampede or systemic failure in crowd management.For many devotees, the sight of the deities on the chariots was an emotional moment. “Witnessing Lord Jagannath’s emergence from the temple onto the chariot was profoundly spiritual. Tears of joy rolled down my cheeks,” said Shravani Maurya, a devotee from Lucknow.President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended greetings on the occasion. “I extend my heartfelt greetings to devotees of Lord Jagannath across the country and abroad,” Murmu posted on X.Modi said, “On the sacred occasion of Mahaprabhu Jagannath’s Rath Yatra, may His blessings always remain upon all of us and infuse new energy into the lives of our countrymen.”Discontent also surfaced among devotees after the iconic tahia (floral headgear) of Lord Jagannath broke during the pahandi procession.
