New Delhi: Rath Yatra was celebrated across India on July 1. At Puri in Odisha, the Rath Yatra started after a hiatus of two years owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. The chariots of Lord Jagannath followed by Sister Devi Subhadra and elder brother Lord Baldev were taken out during the day on their traditional routes. However, not only it was celebrated in India, but the festivity took an international level. In a viral video, Rath Yatra was seen being celebrated in Florida, USA.
In the now-viral video, devotees from different nationalities were seen pulling Rath on the seashore of Florida with people singing and dancing to hymns praising Lord Krishna. The video has garnered over 1k likes on Instagram.
See the video here:
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The Jagannath Temple at Puri is one of the most auspicious Hindi religious sites in the country. The temple has a long history of religious and cultural antiquity. The preparation for Rath Yatra begins as early as the making of the chariots. The festival lasts for 15 days and attracts devotees from all around the world. According to the devotees, the holy chariot of Lord Jagannath is the incarnation of the god himself whose soul lies in the deities placed on the chariots. This is the only time, when Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Baldev come out of the temple to mark their presence among the devotes.
As per the Hindu religion, the devotees consider touching the chariot’s rope will clean their sins and free them from the cycle of rebirth. The devotion goes to such an extent that a few decades ago, the devotees used to sacrifice their lives suddenly coming under the wheels of the chariots. However, the temple administration has taken measures to prevent such an event.
