LUCKNOW: Hundreds of people from all walks of life were seen chanting and hailing Lord Jagannath while walking bare footed for miles in Old City areas on Friday.
The Jagannath Rath Yatra was taken out after two years due to Covid-19.
The Marwadi Gully Rath Yatra had a long chain of rickshaws going one after the other with children all dressed up like different gods and goddesses.
The adults were all walking barefooted as they pulled the chariot with the idols of Lord Ram, Sita, Radha, Krishna and Laddu Gopal.
Darshita Srivastava (7), who was dressed up as Radha, said, “I wait for the entire year for the festival because when I act as Radha, people come to seek my blessings along with God.”
The Rath Yatra by Badi Kaliji Mandir was led by an elephant followed by camels and chariots with idols of gods and goddesses followed by children.
Rashika Gupta, (17), who has been attending the yatra since her childhood, said, “I want this yatra to reach more people and so I will be posting the pictures and videos on social media.”
In Chardham Mandir Rath Yatra, the people carried the silver palanquin with the idols made of sandal wood. Similarly, the yatra by Gaudiya Mission was ornamented similar to that of Puri.
Omprakash Bajpai (52), who was sweeping the path ahead of the chariot procession, said, “I have been performing the same task for about 15 years now. Serving God makes me feel satisfied.”
In the Rath Yatra organised by Madhav Mandir, photographers were trying to get the best shot to win the competition held to mark the occasion. Madhuri Vaish (40), who brought replicas of idols from Puri last year, was seen carrying them during the yatra. She said, “I feel delighted to carry my own idols of Jagannath, Subhadra and Balbhadra.”
