Puri, Jul 12 : President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi today extended greetings to the nation as a devotee-less rath yatra, for the second straight year, begins amid curfew in view of the coronavirus pandemic.
The administration have imposed curbs across the three-kilometre long Grand Road from Shree Jagannath Temple to Sri Gunducha Temple, where all activities excluding medical emergencies are prohibited.
Pulling of the holy chariots will start at 3 this afternoon.
As the three chariots- Lord Balabhadras Taladwaja, Lord Jagannath’s Nadighosh and Devi Subhadras Darpadalan – are ready to roll on the grand road, the police reviewed the security arrangements and appealed to the people of Puri to cooperate in implementation of the curfew orders in public interest.
Last year, despite the threat of COVID-19, tens of thousands gathered outside the iconic temple in Puri as the Supreme Court court allowed the seven-day chariot festival in a restricted fashion.
The Rath Yatra from the Jagannath temple is attended by lakhs of people from across the world.
