Ranchi: Chants of “Jai Jagannath” reverberated across Dhurwa on Saturday as thousands of devotees joined the ‘Ghurti Rath Yatra’, marking the return of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra from Mausi Bari to the Jagannath Temple.Devotees began gathering along the procession route in the afternoon, with families waiting for their turn to pull the decorated chariot. Bhajans, traditional rituals and the rhythmic chanting of hymns lent a festive air to the return journey, also known as the Bahuda Yatra.The procession began after priests performed special prayers and rituals at Mausi Bari. The deities were ceremonially brought out in Pahandi procession and placed on the chariot amid chants and the blowing of conch shells.
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Devotees then pulled the chariot towards the main temple, bringing the annual Rath Yatra festivities to a close.After reaching the Jagannath Temple, the idols were taken inside and reinstalled following prescribed rituals.“The Ghurti Rath Yatra is the emotional culmination of the festival. Entire families come together to pull the chariot and seek blessings. It is a tradition we have followed for generations,” said Amit Kumar, a Dhurwa resident.For many devotees, witnessing the return journey holds the same spiritual significance as participating in the main Rath Yatra.“People believe that witnessing the deities’ return is as auspicious as the main procession. We wait for this day every year,” said devotee Sushmita Sahay after offering prayers with her family.The procession also prompted temporary traffic restrictions in the area. Heavy vehicles were barred from the Birsa Chowk-Dhurwa stretch for several hours, while traffic personnel regulated movement at major junctions. Security personnel and volunteers were deployed along the route to manage the crowd, while medical teams were kept on standby.
