ZCZC
BSS-59
RATHA-YATRA
Ratha Yatra begins tomorrow
DHAKA, June 22, 2020 (BSS) – Ratha Yatra, the chariot festival of
Sri Jagannath Dev and one of the major festivals of the Hindus, will
begin tomorrow but no procession will be brought out this year in the
wake of novel coronavirus outbreak.
All programmmes will be performed inside International Society for
Krishna Consciousness (ISKON) shrine at Swamibagh here where daylong
rituals will be held maintaining health guidelines and social
distancing.
No procession will be brought out this year which is the main
attraction of the festival to check the spread of the deadly virus
while presence of devotees will also be controlled and kept limited.
The programmes of the festival generally begins in the morning with
rendering of Harisangkirtan, holding of Agnihotra Jagna seeking world
peace and people’s welfare, recitation of verses from Srimat Bhagabat
Geeta and distribution of mohaprosad.
At ISKON temple at Swamibagh in Dhaka, the programme will start with
holding of Agnihotra Jagna seeking divine blessings for world peace
and people’s welfare.
The festival will come to an end with Ulto Ratha Yatra (return
journey) on July 1.
Rathajatra is a journey in a chariot with deities of Jagannath
(Vishnu avatar), Balaram or Balabhadra (his brother), Subhadra (his
sister) and Sudarshana Chakra (his weapon) on a ratha, a wooden
deula-shaped chariot accompanied by people.
It attracts over a million Hindu pilgrims who join the procession
each year in the Indian sub-continent including Bangladesh for long.
BSS/BKD/MKD/MRU/2155hrs