A devotee reportedly died of suspected suffocation, and several others were hospitalised during the world-famous Rath Yatra in Odisha's Puri on Thursday, as massive crowds gathered to witness the annual chariot procession of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra.
The devotee collapsed after allegedly experiencing suffocation while waiting on the Bada Danda (Grand Road) to watch the chariot pulling ceremony. He was rushed to the Puri District Headquarters Hospital (DHH), where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
The victim has been identified as 35-year-old Anil Das, a resident of Cuttack district.
Several other devotees were also reported injured in the crowd, with emergency teams providing medical assistance and shifting the injured for treatment.
Police and disaster response personnel rushed to the spot and are assessing the situation as authorities monitor crowd management during the annual procession to the Gundicha Temple.
Devotees brave rains to attend Rath Yatra
Braving relentless rain, lakhs of devotees gathered in Odisha's Puri on Thursday to witness the sacred Pahandi ritual, marking the beginning of the nine-day annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra.
The ceremonial procession began with Chakraraj Sudarshan, the divine discus of Lord Vishnu, being carried out of the 12th-century Jagannath Temple and placed on Devi Subhadra's Darpadalan chariot. Lord Balabhadra, the elder brother of Lord Jagannath, was then taken in a grand procession to his Taladwaja chariot, followed by Goddess Subhadra in the traditional Sunya Pahandi ritual performed by temple servitors.
As Lord Jagannath's idol emerged from the sanctum, the Grand Road (Bada Danda) echoed with chants of "Jai Jagannath" as emotional devotees raised their hands in devotion. Odissi dancers, folk artistes and cultural troupes performed along the route in honour of the deities.
During the Pahandi ritual, the sibling deities are ceremonially carried to their respective chariots stationed outside the Lion's Gate of the temple before embarking on their annual 2.6-km journey to the Shree Gundicha Temple, believed to be their birthplace.
Temple authorities said the rituals commenced around 9 am. Despite continuous rainfall, special arrangements were made to drain water from the Grand Road and ensure the smooth movement of the chariots, which are later pulled by thousands of devotees to the Gundicha Temple.
Reported by Shubham Kumar
Also read: Incredible facts that make Jagannath Rath Yatra one of India's most unique festivals
