Hooghly Administration Allocates Rs 5 Lakh Each to Three Rath Yatra Committees

Hooghly administration provides Rs 5 lakh assistance to three Rath Yatra committees ahead of annual festival

Hooghly, July 14

According to the Hooghly district administration, District Magistrate Khurshid Ali Qadri and Chandannagar Police Commissioner Sunil Kumar Yadav held a high-level coordination meeting with key festival organisers ahead of the Rath Yatra celebrations.

During the meeting, financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each was handed over to the Mahesh Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra Committee, the Balagarh Guptipara Rath Yatra Committee and the Chandannagar Rath Operation Committee.

The administration said the grants were aimed at ensuring the smooth, safe and efficient management of the festival and maintaining security along the procession routes.

Emphasising the need for coordinated efforts, District Magistrate Khurshid Ali Qadri urged organisers and volunteers to prioritise safety and preparedness during the festival.

"Safety and security have to be prioritised. There should be no incidents or accidents. Briefings and ID cards of volunteers have to be proper and clear. In case of any medical exigency, volunteers should be aware of the immediate medical facility in their designated area... Organisers and committee members have lots of responsibilities. They are requested to coordinate with the police, volunteers, and administration properly. Medical facilities, transport facilities, water arrangements, emergency evacuation - everything has to be kept in hand...easy movement of VIPs should be ensured. VIPs should be briefed early on; the fewer cars they have, the better...," he said.

The Jagannath Rath Yatra is one of India's most revered religious festivals and is regarded as a rare occasion when devotees can have darshan of Lord Jagannath outside the sanctum sanctorum of the Jagannath Temple in Puri.

Earlier this week, Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, the erstwhile King of Puri, said the rituals and traditions of the Rath Yatra are followed according to the commands of Lord Jagannath and have been preserved over generations. He said the festival provides an opportunity for people of all nationalities, religions, and communities to come together in a spirit of devotion and participate in the celebrations without any restrictions on darshan.

Meanwhile, preparations for this year's Rath Yatra are in the final stages. The construction of the three chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra has entered its concluding phase. The chariots are built afresh every year by skilled Maharana servitors in accordance with centuries-old traditions and rituals. Construction commenced after the customary rituals on Akshaya Tritiya and is being carried out under the supervision of designated servitors.

The Jagannath Rath Yatra 2026 is scheduled to commence on July 16 with the grand chariot procession to the Gundicha Temple. The nine-day festival will conclude with the Bahuda Yatra, or return journey, on July 24, while the deities are scheduled to re-enter the Jagannath Temple on July 27.

— ANI