Millions of Hindu worshippers attended the final day of the Rath Yatra festival in Puri, eastern India today (July 9th), which saw gigantic shrine-chariots roll through the city streets.

Devotees have been allowed to participate in the Jagannath Rath Yatra this year after a two-year Covid-19 induced halt.

Ulta Rath Yatra, also known as Bahuda Yatra or Ulto Rath, is the return journey of Lord Jagannath on his chariots from the Gundicha Temple after eight days. This marks the end of the Jagannath Rath Yatra as the lord comes back to his home Jagannath Puri Temple after an 8-day stay at his aunt’s house. The deities remain in Sri Gundiucha Temple till 'Bahuda' Jatra or the return car festival. The three chariots, on which the lord travels, are built new, every year ahead of the annual chariot festival. Vibrant colours, enthusiastic faces, crowded shops, and cheery craftspeople are just a few of the highlights of Rath Yatra in Puri, the popular Chariot celebration held on a big scale every year outside Jagannatha Temple.

The Pahandi rituals for the Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath began in Odisha`s Puri on July 1. Devotees have been allowed to participate in the Jagannath Rath Yatra this year after a two-year Covid-19 induced halt. Odisha Police had made top-notch security arrangements keeping the expected crowd at the festival in mind. In Jagannath Yatra, the three Raths of Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra are pulled by devotees after due rituals and put stationed in front of the Singha Dwara of the Shreemandira.

Meanwhile, thousands of devotees on Friday gathered at the Gundicha temple in Puri for 'Sandhya Darshan' of the trinity -- Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath. However, the duration of 'Sandhya Darshan' was brought down till 4 pm as against the usual 7 pm.

The 'Charamala', where the idols will be alighted from the 'Adapa Mandap' for 'Pahandi Bije' (procession), was tied up to the door on Friday. Therefore, it was not be possible to allow the devotees to have 'darshan' till 7 pm, said a senior servitor.