‘Ratha Yatra’ festival celebrated peacefully across the state, ISKCON and Jagannath Bari cynosure of all eyes of devotees

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, July 16, 2026

Come the month of July or ‘Shravan’ and it is the festival of ‘Ratha Yatra’(chariot journey) that attract the Hindu devotees in droves . It is the time when the trinity of Lords Jagannath, Balaram and their sister Subhadra mount the consecrated ‘Rath’ (chariot) to travel across the town or village of their abode to have a glimpse of their devotees . The devotees also await the occasion with great enthusiasm to see the deities slowly move across the town or village.

This was the holy occasion today and , as in previous years, hundreds of ‘Raths’ took to the streets in towns and many villages across the state and thousands of devotees pulled the ropes of the chariots. The most attractive and traditional ‘Ratha Yatras’ (chariot journey) took place in Melaghar and Agartala as well as in all other subdivisional towns and a number of villages of the state.

The ‘Raths’ (chariot) that attracted the devotees in the state capital were the ones taken out by the ISKCON authority and the ‘Jagannath Bari’ temple. The chief minister Dr Manik Saha and the governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu set the 12th ‘Ratha Yatra’ procession of ISKCON rolling from the frontal part of the ‘Purbasha’ emporium of the state government around 5-00 PM . Almost at the same time the ‘Rath’of the Jagannath Bari also got moving and both the chariots slowly moved through the Agartala town moving around the post office chaumuhuni and returning to their places of take-off. Hundreds of devotees lining up on both sides of the road also touched the ropes of the ‘Raths’ to earn fruits of piety , according to popular belief. The entire processions had been led by saffron and white clad saints and holy men of ISKCON and Jagannath Bari temple.

The state police had made tight security arrangements and the organisers also stuck to the instructions of the official authority in making the ‘Raths’ on prescribed size and height to avoid contact with overhead electric lines . It was on this occasion in the year 2023 that eight people had died in Kumarghat because the high ‘Rath’ being pulled along the road had come in contact with the electric line overhead and had been charged . But today’s ‘Rath Yatra’ by contrast was a peaceful affair .

more news...