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    HomeNewsTrendsCurrent AffairsJagannath Rath Yatra 2021 | Devotees to be barred this year too, only fully vaccinated servitors allowed

    Jagannath Rath Yatra 2021 | Devotees to be barred this year too, only fully vaccinated servitors allowed

    Noting that devotees will be able to witness the programmes live on television and webcasts, the official further said that the nine-day long car festival will commence as per schedule.

    Moneycontrol News
    June 10, 2021 / 17:34 IST
    District collector Samarth Verma said Puri still registers around 300 COVID-19 cases every day.

    In view of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Odisha government on June 10 announced that no devotees will be allowed to participate in the Puri Rath Yatra this year.

    The Rath Yatra will take place on July 12.

    Odisha Special Relief Commissioner Pradeep K Jena said that the Rath Yatra will be held without the participation of devotees and only servitors will be allowed. However, he further added that only COVID-19 negative and fully vaccinated servitors will be allowed to take part in the rituals.


    Only selected COVID-negative and fully vaccinated servitors will be allowed to take part in 'Snan Purnima' - bathing ritual - and other programmes, he said.

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    "Curfew will be clamped on the holy town on the day of Rath Yatra. All restrictions imposed during last year's event will remain in force," Jena explained.

    Noting that devotees will be able to witness the programmes live on television and webcasts, the official further said that the nine-day long car festival will commence as per schedule, and "just about 500 servitors will be allowed to pull the chariots during the period".

    District collector Samarth Verma, on his part, said Puri still registers around 300 COVID-19 cases every day.

    "Only essential and emergency services will be allowed during the festival. Vehicular movement to and from Puri will be restricted," he stated, adding that work to build the chariots has reached its final stages and steps were taken to "ensure no hurdle came in its way".

    In the annual procession, the three heavily-built wooden chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra are traditionally pulled manually over a distance of three kilometres twice during the nine-day festival of the Trinity at Puri.

    Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here.

    (With inputs from PTI)

    Moneycontrol News
    first published: Jun 10, 2021 05:34 pm

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