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The Rath Yatra At Jagannath Temple Begins in Puri Today


The Rath Yatra at famous Jagannath Temple began in Puri in Odisha today. This spectacular chariot festival (Rath Yatra) is celebrated for eight days at the temple. This revered annual event is held during Ashadh Shukla Paksha in the Hindu calendar month Asadh. 

Images of Lord Jagannath, his sister Subhadra and brother Balbhadra are taken out in a procession in three immense chariots. Thousands of devotees pull these chariots to Gundicha Mandir, a temple 3 km away. After a week, the deities return to the main temple in a similar procession. The construction of the chariots begins in April. 

The present Jagannatha Temple was built by Eastern Ganga ruler Anantavarman Chodagangadeva who had ruled for 72 years from 17 February 1078 to 1150. 

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