Lucknow, July 17 -- The lanes of the old city reverberated with chants of 'Jai Jagannath' and 'Hare Krishna, Hare Ram' on Thursday as thousands gathered to participate in annual Jagannath Rath Yatra. Devotees walked barefoot for several kilometers, with some volunteers seen sweeping the streets ahead of the procession, which featured horses, camels and ornate tableaux. The procession was a blend of generations, children dressed as deities walked alongside elderly devotees who braved walking difficulties to offer prayers to Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra. Throughout journey, the idols were greeted with continuous showers of flower petals. The Marwadi Gali Rath Yatra committee also raised awareness for mental health, carrying banners promoting 'TeleMANAS' helpline service, alongside idols of Sita-Ram, Radha-Krishna and Laddu Gopal. For Geetanjali Srivastava, 72, who participated in a yatra organised by the Radha Madhav Mandir in Daliganj, age and mobility issues were no barrier. The yatra organised by the ISKCON from Ravindralaya saw enthusiastic youth participation. The yatra was also joined by deputy CM Brajesh Pathak. Separately, rituals were performed in a traditional manner at the Gaudiya Math, while a unique river procession was organised at the Lete Hue Hanumanji Mandir. htc...