Vizag, July 6: The Utkal Sanskrutika Samaj, a socio-cultural organisation for Odias in Visakhapatnam, is organising the Rath Yatra starting from their premises at 4:30 pm on July 7. The yatra will commence after the ritual of 'Chhera Panhara' and will reach Gundicha Temple by 6:30 pm. The return journey, or Bahuda Yatra, will begin on July 15 at 4 pm, concluding at Sri Jagannath Temple on the Samaj premises.
JK Nayak, president of the Samaj, mentioned that the yatra, which adheres to traditional rituals, will witness a large gathering of devotees. The procession will travel from the temple premises through VUDA Children’s Theatre, Andhra University, and Peda Waltair before reaching Gundicha Temple.
Celebrating the festival of chariots for the 17th time, ISKCON in Visakhapatnam is also preparing for the Rath Yatra on Aashada Shukla Dwitiya Tithi, falling on Sunday. The event will feature three separate chariots for Jagannath, Baladev, and Subhadra, equipped with mechanised collapsible canopies standing 37 feet high. These chariots will be decorated with assorted flowers and garlands.
The procession will start from VUDA Park on Beach Road at 4 pm, passing through RK Beach, Kali Mata Temple, Ramakrishna Mission, and All India Radio, before concluding at Gurajada Kalakshetram in Siripuram. The colorful canopies have been sourced from Pipili, Odisha, to replicate the festive atmosphere of Puri. A miniature chariot will carry the idol of Srila Prabhupad, founder Acharya of ISKCON.
As part of the festival, artists from Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and Odisha will perform cultural programmes. The procession will conclude at Gurajada Kalakshetram, where devotees will gather to enjoy cultural events. Over 501 varieties of special dishes will be offered to the deities, followed by 'Maha Sandhya Arati' with a '108 Pradeepam' programme.
