PURI, INDIA, June 23, 2021 ( India.com): A majestic chariot festival, Rath Yatra is a Hindu festival associated with Lord Jagannath held at Puri in the state of Odisha every year. However, due to the Covid-19 global health scare, the annual event got widely impacted. Last year, in a historic first, the iconic Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath was held in the pilgrim town without the usual sea of devotees and amid tight security in view of the surging coronavirus cases. Well, this year too, the much-awaited event will be held without devotees and with strict COVID protocols in place in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19 infections. The world-famous Rath Yatra will be held on July 12, this year, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Chief Administrator Krishan Kumar said recently. Only servitors and temple officials will participate in the rituals.
On the Rath Yatra day, the chariots of Lord Jagannath and his divine siblings are pulled along the Grand Road and taken to Gundicha Temple (aunts house), 1.86 miles from the 12th- century shrine, and kept there for a week till the day of the return car festival.The Rath Yatra procession will start at 8:30 am while chariot pulling will begin at 4 pm on July 12. The Lords Suna Besha (golden attire) will be held between 4 pm-11 pm on July 21. The Niladri Bijee, the return of the trinity to the main temple, will be held on July 23. The procession will start at 4 pm and end at 10 pm. The rituals will be performed with bare minimum servitors this year, Kumar said.
For the complete schedule and interesting facts of the Jagannath Rath Yatra 2021, see:
https://www.india.com/travel/articles/planning-to-attend-puri-rath-yatra-2021-check-interesting-facts-date-covid-guidelines-and-more-4761761/