IN PICS | Rath Yatra 2021: Visuals From Puri, Nadia & Ahmedabad Celebrating Lord Jagannath's Annual Visit To Gundicha Temple

According to the Hindu calendar, there is a ritual to take out Jagannath Rath Yatra every year on the second date of Shukla Paksha of Ashadh month. It is a religious belief that just a mere glance of this Rath Yatra allows the devotees to be absolved from all sins and they attain salvation after death. In the image, devotees perform a ritual during the annual Rath Yatra festival in Agartala. (Image Source: PTI)

Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani arrives to perform rituals during the 144th annual Rath Yatra festival in Ahmedabad. (Image Source: PTI)

The journey of the chariots of Lord Jagannath, his brother Balbhadra and sister Subhadra began from the 400-year-old Jagannath temple in Jamalpur area here around 7 am, after Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Deputy CM Nitin Patel performed 'Pahind Vidhi'- a symbolic ritual of cleaning the way for the 'raths' (chariots). (Image Source: PTI)

In the image, devotees can be seen performing rituals during the Rath Yatra in Puri. The chariot leaves the Jagannath Dham of Puri and travels to Gundicha Bari, 3 km away, where Lord Jagannath rests for 7 days and then returns home on the date of Ekadashi. It is believed that the devotee who pulls the chariot with reverence, gets the results equivalent to that of hundred sacrifices. (Image Source: PTI)

The festivities was kept minimal keeping in mind Covid-19 restrictions. In the image, devotees can be seen pulling a chariot during in Ahmedabad in a barren street, this is the second consecutive Rath Yatra that's happening under Covid restrictions. (Image Source: PTI)

In Puri, as many as 65 platoons (1 platoon comprise 30 personnel) have been deployed for the smooth conduct of the annual festival amidst the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic. (Image Source: PTI)

About 8,000 people including servitors, security, SJTA officials, district administration officials, media persons, and others have undergone RT-PCR test before the festival. (Image Source: PTI)

Puri district collector Samarth Verma said that the people are urged not to come out of their residences during the curfew period from 8 PM on Sunday till 8 PM on Tuesday and make crowd on the grand road. (Image Source: PTI)

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, early Monday morning, visited the Jagannath temple in Ahmedabad to perform aarti before the 144th annual rath yatra of Lord Jagannath took off from the temple. (Image Source: PTI)

It is believed, on this day Lord Jagannath along with elder brother Balarama and sister Subhadra are taken down from the Ratna throne and taken to the bathing pavilion near the temple. He takes a royal bath with 108 urns. (Image Source: PTI)

But the Lord becomes ill and he gets a fever after the bath. Then the Lord Jagannath is kept in a special room for 15 days. In these 15 days, no one can see him except the chief servants and vaidyas of the temple. Devotees can see the Lord Jagannath only after 15 days. (Image Source: PTI)

All the entry points to Puri town have been sealed to ensure none can enter the grand road when the festival is going on. The prohibitory order is imposed from 9 PM on Sunday till 9 PM on Monday along the Bada Danda in order to prevent people from entering the Shree Baladevjew temple area. (Image Source: PTI)

Devotees perform rituals during the annual Rath Yatra festival in Nadia. (Image Source: PTI)

Visuals from Nadia (Image Source: PTI)