In a first, grand Rath Yatra at Digha Jagannath Dham on June 27; Mamata expected to inaugurate the event

Kolkata: The people of Bengal are set to witness a grand Rath Yatra celebration for the first time in Digha Jagannath Dham on June 27. The temple authorities and the state government both are chalking out plans to make the event a grand success. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to inaugurate Rath Yatra in Digha Jagannath Dham. The temple authorities are expecting that there will be a record number of visitors in Digha during the Rath Yatra celebrations next month. The East Midnapore district administration recently held a meeting with various departments and stakeholders and discussed several issues, including the Rath Yatra route, necessary arrangements and how to handle the huge crowd during the Rath Yatra.

Despite attempts to create controversy over the inauguration of Jagannath Dham in Digha by a section, the temple continued to attract a huge number of devotees from across the country and abroad ever since it was inaugurated by the Chief Minister. Even before the temple was inaugurated, the Chief Minister had announced that Rath Yatra would be celebrated in grand manner in Digha this year. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) which is associated with the Jagannath Dham and assigned to manage the religious aspects also plays a crucial role behind planning and organising the grand festival. According to Radharamn Das, vice-president of ISKCON, Kolkata, the three chariots will begin their journey from the temple premises and cover approximately 1 km. The three chariots would travel the one-kilometre distance, from the newly-built Jagannath Temple to Mamar Bari (the old Jagannath temple of Digha). The three chariots (raths) will carry Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra. These chariots have been prepared since the temple’s inauguration and they remained stationed on the temple premises. The state government has already launched at least a dozen bus services connecting various districts of Bengal to Digha to ensure a hassle-free journey for visitors. Since the bus services began, the number of visitors has increased significantly. Senior officials in the district administrations believe that a huge number of devotees from various parts of Bengal who are unable to go to Puri Jagannath Dham during Rath Yatra may attend the celebration in Digha from this year.