DHAKA, July 6, 2024 (BSS) - A nine-day Ratha Yatra, the chariot festival of Sri Jagannath Dev which is one of the major festivals of the Hindu community, will begin tomorrow.

According to Hindu calendar, the festival begins on Dwitiya Tithi of Shukla Paksha in the month of Aashar.

The festival will come to an end with Ulto Ratha Yatra (reverse journey) on July 15.

In observance of the festival, different religious bodies and temple committees have drawn up various programmes.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKON) has chalked out a nine-day programme in Dhaka.

The country's largest Ratha Yatra festival will be held at Dhamrai in Manikganj district.

The programmes of the festival will begin in the morning with rendering of Harisangkirtan, holding of Agnihotra Jagna seeking world peace and people's welfare, recitation of verses from Srimat Bhagabat Geeta, distribution of mohaprosad, discussion, rendition of padaboli kirtan and arati, cultural function, staging of religious drama and screening of religious films.

The programmes of the ISKON at Swamibag in Dhaka will start tomorrow morning with holding of Agnihotra Jagna seeking divine blessings for world peace and people's welfare.

A discussion will be organised there at 1:30pm.

Later, a colorful procession will be brought out at 3pm from Swamibagh temple with carrying images and idols of Sri Jagannath Dev, his brother Sri Balaram and sister Srimati Subhadra on three largely build Rathas (chariots).

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan will join the discussion as the chief guest while Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Pranay Verma will inaugurate the Ratha Yatra festival. Local lawmaker Sayeed Khokon will be present on the occasion.

The devotees will pull the ropes of the chariots (Rathas) from Swamibagh Ashram through Jaikali Temple intersection, Ittefaq crossing, Motijheel Shapla Chattar, Dainik Bangla intersection, Rajuk Bhaban crossing, Gulistan, Golapshah Mazar, Police Headquarters, Government Employees Hospital, High Court crossing, Doel Chattar, Central Shaheed Minar, Jagannath Hall, Palashi Crossing and rounded up the Ratha Yatra on the premises of the Dhakeshwari National Temple.

Besides, the Rathjatra festival will also be celebrated at Ramseeta Mandir at Joikali Mandir Road, at Shankharibazar and Jagannath Jeo Mandir at Tantibazar in old city and other places across the country.

Special security measures have been taken marking the festival to avert any untoward incidents.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen and Land Minister Narayon Chandra Chanda will join discussions on July 11 and 12 respectively.

Ulto Ratha Yatra (reverse journey) will be celebrated on July 15. Devotees pull the ropes of the chariots on the same route from Dhakeshwari Temple to Swamibagh temple.

Rathajatra is a journey in a chariot with deities of Jagannath (Vishnu avatar), Balaram, or Balabhadra (his brother), Subhadra (his sister) and Sudarshana Chakra (his weapon) on a ratha, a wooden deula-shaped chariot accompanied by people in colorful procession.

It attracts over a million Hindu pilgrims who join the procession each year in the Indian subcontinent including Bangladesh for long.

The Ratha Yatra of Puri is considered the oldest and largest Hindu chariot festival celebrated annually, on the bright half of the lunar month of Aashar (June-July).