Puri, July 16 -- Braving intermittent rain and high humidity, more than five lakh devotees converged on the pilgrim town of Puri on Thursday to witness the world-famous Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra.
Devotees lined the Grand Road (Badadanda) from early morning to witness the sacred Pahandi procession and participate in pulling the three majestic chariots. Despite the inclement weather, the spiritual fervour remained undiminished as chants of "Jai Jagannath" and "Haribol" echoed across the town.
However, the festivities were overshadowed by an inordinate delay in the Pahandi of Lord Jagannath. Although the ritual commenced at 9 a.m.,about 30 minutes ahead of schedule,it concluded only around 2.30 p.m., mor...