Grand Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath Held for the First Time from Kanke ISKCON Temple; Ranchi Resounds with Chants of "Jai Jagannath"
Ranchi: A grand Rath Yatra (chariot procession) of Lord Jagannath was taken out for the first time on Sunday from the ISKCON temple located in Kanke. Thousands of devotees participated enthusiastically in this historic event. The atmosphere along the entire route became imbued with devotion as chants of "Jai Jagannath" and "Hare Krishna, Hare Rama" filled the air. Devotees earned spiritual merit by pulling the Lord's chariot, while the procession received a grand welcome at various points with the showering of flowers, *Aarti* (ritual of light), and the distribution of *Prasad* (sacred offering).
Around 10:30 AM, the deities—Lord Sudarshan, Lord Balaram, Mother Subhadra, and Lord Jagannath—were seated upon a beautifully decorated, 15-foot-tall chariot. Specially brought from Hyderabad, the chariot was adorned attractively with colorful fabrics and flowers. The procession commenced following the deities' ritual adornment (*Shringar*), food offering (*Bhog*), and *Maha-Aarti*.
The event began with Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth offering service to the Lord by sweeping the path in front of the chariot. Subsequently, he joined former MP Ajay Maru, MLA Mathura Prasad Mahto, Deputy Mayor Neeraj Kumar, event coordinator Mukesh Kabra, and ISKCON temple saints and devotees in pulling the chariot.
The Rath Yatra proceeded from the ISKCON temple via Lake Avenue and Krishi Bhawan to Basant Vihar, where it concluded for the day. Along the route, local citizens and various social organizations welcomed the Lord by showering flowers. Devotees expressed their reverence through welcoming songs, *Maha-Aarti*, and the distribution of *Prasad*. Cultural programs were also organized at several locations.
Amidst *Bhajan-Kirtan* and *Harinam Sankirtan* (devotional singing and chanting), thousands of devotees—including women, youth, and children—participated in the procession with deep devotion. *Maha-Bhog Prasad* was also distributed during the event and partaken of by a large number of devotees.
Under the leadership of event coordinator Mukesh Kabra, residents of Lake Avenue, Basant Vihar, and neighboring apartment complexes accorded a grand welcome to Lord Jagannath. On this occasion, a large number of devotees—including Shravan Jajodia, Vikas Singh, Pramod Saraswat, Ravindra Modi, Anchal Kingar, Rajesh Agrawal, Anil Modi, Ramavatar Rajgarhia, Vinod Modi, Ashish Khetan, and Sanjay Saraf—along with ISKCON temple volunteers, worked together to make the event a success.
Organized for the first time, this Rath Yatra created a magnificent atmosphere of spiritual joy and devotion in Ranchi. The presence of thousands of devotees made the event historic.
