The annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath was celebrated with religious fervour at multiple venues across the city on Thursday, coinciding with the world-famous festival at Puri in Odisha. Thousands of devotees pulled the chariots amid the chanting of Vedic hymns, bhajans and “Hari Nama Sankirtana”.

At Sri Jagannath Swamy Devasthanam on Town Kotha Road, the Rath Yatra was flagged off by Visakhapatnam South MLA Ch. Vamsi Krishna Srinivas, who offered special prayers before the procession set out for Turner Choultry. The main chariot was accompanied by the chariots of Lord Jagannath from the Ember Mannar Swamy and Sri Kodanda Rama Swamy temples. Temple Executive Officer T. Rajagopal Reddy said an exhibition on the “Dashavataras” would be held from July 17 to 25, and the Bahuda Yatra would be celebrated on July 26. Visakhapatnam West MLA P.G.V.R. Naidu (Ganababu) visited the temple and offered prayers. Temple Trust Board Chairman Surada Raj Kumar, trustees and priests took part in the arrangements.

The Utkal Sanskrutika Samaj (USS) took out its Rath Yatra from the Jagannath Temple Complex to the Gundicha Ghar near Shantiashram at Lawson’s Bay Colony, where the deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra will remain until July 24, when the Bahuda Yatra will be held. Samaj president J.K. Nayak performed the ceremonial sweeping ritual, while a folk dance troupe from Ganjam district of Odisha was a special attraction. USS general secretary Satyabrata Dwibedy urged devotees to have darshan of the deities at the Gundicha Ghar.

ISKCON Visakhapatnam conducted its 18th annual Rath Yatra with three chariots fitted with 37-foot mechanised canopies brought from Pipili in Odisha. The procession began at 4 p.m. from the Mahatma Gandhi statue and passed through Jagadamba Junction and Waltair Main Road before concluding at Gurajada Kalakshetram, Siripuram, where an offering of over 501 varieties of preparations was made and distributed as “Mahaprasadam”. Around 500 students rendered voluntary service.

The Hare Krishna Movement organised its Rath Yatra from IIAM College, MVP Colony, which was flagged off by its president Nishkinchana Bhakta Dasa, Visakhapatnam East MLA Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu and Commissioner of Police Shankhabrata Bagchi. The procession went along Beach Road and Appughar before returning to the college, followed by a Bharatanatyam performance and “Mahaprasadam” distribution.