Ahmedabad, July 14 (IANS) Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi on Tuesday participated in the traditional Maha Aarti and Netrotsav ceremonies at the historic Jagannath Temple in Ahmedabad’s Jamalpur area, marking a key religious observance ahead of the 149th Jagannath Rath Yatra scheduled on July 16.
Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi attended the ceremonies, hoisted the temple flag and participated in the Maha Aarti. He offered prayers before Lord Jagannath and sought blessings for the well-being of the people of Gujarat.
Energy and Ahmedabad district in-charge Minister Rushikesh Patel also attended the event.
The Netrotsav ceremony was performed following the conclusion of the 15-day Anasar period, during which the deities are kept away from public view after the ceremonial bathing festival.
As part of the ritual, silk bands were traditionally tied over the eyes of the deities in the sanctum sanctorum during the ‘Navayauvan Darshan’, symbolising the Lord’s return in renewed form.
Devotees also witnessed the deities adorned in the traditional Sonavesh (golden attire).
The Ahmedabad Rath Yatra, organised by the Jagannath Temple since 1878, is regarded as one of India’s largest chariot festivals after the Puri Rath Yatra and is among Gujarat’s most significant religious events.
The procession begins from the Jamalpur temple and follows its traditional route through the old city before returning to the shrine, attracting lakhs of devotees every year.
A key feature of the yatra is its halt at Saraspur, which is traditionally regarded as the maternal home of Lord Jagannath, where devotees offer a ceremonial feast to the deities and the procession.
The three wooden chariots carrying Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are traditionally pulled by members of the Khalasi community. The procession also features decorated elephants, akhadas, devotional music groups, tableaux and sadhus from different parts of the country.
Officials said elaborate arrangements have been made to ensure the 149th Rath Yatra is conducted peacefully and securely.
Authorities have deployed more than 31,000 police personnel along the route, supported by drones, rooftop observation points, body-worn cameras and other technology-driven surveillance systems.
Traffic restrictions and no-parking zones have also been notified along the procession route as part of crowd management measures.
The ceremonies at the Jagannath Temple were attended by Ahmedabad Mayor Hitesh Barot, MP, MLAs, Deputy Mayor Anju Shah, Director General of Police (DGP) G.S. Malik, Ahmedabad Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gahlaut, Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani, city BJP president Prerak Shah, Standing Committee Chairman Kamlesh Patel, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Sanjeev Kumar, former Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, Jagannath Temple Mahant Dilipdasji Maharaj, trustees, civic office-bearers and a large number of devotees.
–IANS
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