Gujarat Deputy CM hoists temple flag; offers prayers to Lord Jagannath for well-being of people of State
Gandhinagar, July 14
Ahead of the 149th Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Ahmedabad, devotees are filled with devotion and enthusiasm as they gather at the Jagannath Temple to seek the Lord's blessings.
Ahead of the grand Rath Yatra on the occasion of Ashadhi Bij, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi on Tuesday attended the traditional Netrotsav rituals at the temple. Energy and District In-charge Minister Rushikesh Patel was also present for the event.
According to a press release from the Gujarat Chief Minister's office, the Deputy CM ceremonially hoisted the temple flag and joined the dignitaries in offering the Maha Aarti to Lord Jagannath. He also sought the Lord's blessings and prayed for the well-being and prosperity of the people of the state.
Notably, following the 15-day Anasara period, the traditional Netrotsav ceremony was performed in the presence of the Deputy CM as part of the Navayauvan Darshan of Lord Jagannath. During the ceremony, silk bands were ceremonially tied over the Lord's eyes in the sanctum sanctorum. Devotees were also blessed with the divine Sona Vesh (golden attire) darshan of the Lord.
The Rath Yatras of Lord Jagannath, held in Ahmedabad and other districts of the state, are major centres of faith for crores of devotees. To ensure the peaceful, safe, and harmonious conduct of the 149th Rath Yatra, the Gujarat Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, has made comprehensive preparations with robust security arrangements, technology-driven initiatives, and social policing measures, the release stated.
The temple flag hoisting, Netrotsav ceremony, and Maha Aarti at the Jagannath Temple in Jamalpur were attended by Mayor Hitesh Barot, MP Dinesh Makwana, MLAs Amit Shah, Kaushik Jain, Dineshsinh Kushwaha, Amul Bhatt, and Hasmukh Patel, Deputy Mayor Anju Shah, Director General of Police GS Malik, Ahmedabad City Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gehlot, Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani, City President Prerak Shah, Standing Committee Chairman Kamlesh Patel, office-bearers of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation; Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Sanjeev Kumar, former Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, Mahant of Jagannath Temple Dilipdasji Maharaj, trustees, community leaders and a large number of devotees.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The Sona Vesh darshan must be beautiful. But honestly, I wish the government would spend a little less on these ceremonies and more on infrastructure. Ahmedabad gets flooded every monsoon, but somehow Rath Yatra security is always top priority.
Jai Jagannath! 🛕 The 149th year is incredible. My family in Ahmedabad has been going since my grandparents' time. The energy during the yatra is unmatched. Salute to the authorities and volunteers who make this possible.
As someone from the US who visited Ahmedabad once during Rath Yatra, I was blown away by the devotion and crowd management. The golden attire darshan sounds fascinating. Would love to see this in person someday.
Being a Gujarati, I'm proud of our traditions. The Netrotsav ceremony is so unique—tying silk bands over Lord Jagannath's eyes for a special darshan. But I hope the security arrangements don't become too intrusive for common devotees. Balance is key.
The involvement of so many MLAs and MPs makes me wonder if this is a genuine display of faith or a photo opportunity. Sorry to be cynical, but hope Lord Jagannath's blessings go beyond just the state's VIPs. 🙏
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