Gandhinagar, July 16 -- On the auspicious occasion of Ashadhi Bij, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel offered prayers to Lord Jagannath and performed the rituals for the Lord's chariot at the Jagannath Temple premises in Ahmedabad before flagging off the 149th Rath Yatra.

According to the Chief Minister's Office, upholding the tradition, the CM performed Pahind Vidhi, the symbolic ritual of cleaning the chariot. Marking his fifth consecutive year, the CM swept Lord Jagannathji's Rath with a golden broom. Thereafter, he participated in bringing the Lord's main chariot out of the temple premises to commence the city procession.

Furthermore, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi also participated in this occasion.

The Chief Minister ex...