Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah is set to conduct the Mangala Aarti at the Shri Jagannath Temple in Jamalpur, Ahmedabad, early on Thursday before the city’s 149th Jagannath Rath Yatra. The ritual is scheduled for 3:15 a.m. on July 16 at the historic temple, marking the beginning of the annual procession that garners a massive turnout of devotees from Gujarat and beyond.
The Jagannath Rath Yatra, a significant religious event in Gujarat, commences from the 400-year-old Shri Jagannath Temple in Jamalpur. The procession, featuring idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra, follows a traditional route before concluding back at the temple later in the day. This Rath Yatra is the second-largest in the country, following the renowned one in Puri.
Amit Shah’s participation in the Mangala Aarti before the Rath Yatra is a customary practice, reflecting a longstanding tradition of offering prayers before the chariots’ ceremonial departure. This year’s event is meticulously organized with heightened security measures and civic arrangements, including the use of drones and high-resolution CCTV cameras for surveillance along the route and crowd management.
The festival at the temple includes various early morning rituals like the Mangala Aarti, leading up to the placement of deities on the chariots, signaling the commencement of the 149th Rath Yatra from the Jamalpur temple. The procession, a significant cultural and religious affair in Ahmedabad, attracts a large influx of devotees and tourists annually.
