Lord Jagannath won't forgive us if we allow this year's Rath Yatra: Apex Court

On Thursday, the Apex Court stayed the Rath Yatra at Puri's Jagannath Temple on June 23. In its order, the Top Court also said all activities related to it will be stopped in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

The Supreme Court said that "In the interest of public health & safety of citizens, this year's Rath Yatra at Puri in Orissa can't be allowed".

Such gatherings can't take place amid the coronavirus outbreak, SC said, adding that "Lord Jagannath won't forgive us if we allow this year's Rath Yatra, such huge gathering can't take place during pandemic."

The Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra, which is considered one of India's biggest chariot festivals was set to commence from June 23 this year. 

To mark the celebrations, the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra & Goddess Subhadra are pulled on the Grand Road from the Jagannath temple to Gundicha temple over a distance of 2.5 kms. 

Every year, lakhs of devotees throng to the coastal town of Puri to catch the glimpse of deities re-embodied after 19 years on chariots on the occasion of Rath Yatra, marking largest-ever religious congregation in Odisha. 

For 2020 celebrations of the Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra, the Govt. of Odisha had been ordered to deploy heavy-duty machinery or elephants to pull the chariots. 

The decision had come in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak & to prevent the gathering of people.

Source Link