The ‘Ulta Ratha Yatra’ (return car festival) saw grand celebrations both in the city and various parts of the state including Mayapur, today, with fervour and gaiety.
More than one lakh devotees from all across West Bengal gathered together in the Minto Park Iskcon temple at 1.00 p.m. to join the celebrations which continued till the evening. S.N. Bannerjee Road and the area around Moulali till Minto Park saw an enormous crowd of devotees in strings of processions from various parts of the city as the chariots was taken back to the Iskon temple.
The chariots of Lord Jagannath along with Balabhadra and Subhadra were moved along the streets of the city gathering hundreds and thousands of people. A similar fervour was seen at Mayapur, the kirtan capital of the world and spiritual headquarters of ISKCON.
While the devotees at the Gundicha temple were seen busy cleaning the chariots, decorated with flowers, the deities of Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra moved forward step by step, known as Pahandi Vijay.
After staying in Gundicha temple, believed to be Lord Jagannath’s aunt’s residence, for nine days, Lord Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadradevi went back to Rajapur temple today. As per the scriptures, the return journey back to their homes is known as Ulta Rath Yatra. “ISKCON organises Rath Yatra in more than 1,000 cities and towns all around the globe and in many countries. It is regarded as one of the most important festivals of the year,” said Subroto Das, spokesperson of ISKCON Mayapur.