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The Jagannath Rath Yatra begins today in Puri, Odisha, drawing lakhs of devotees amid heightened security. The sacred 3-km chariot procession kicks off with Mangal Aarti at 6:00 am, followed by important rituals including Surya Puja and the ceremonial Chhera Panhara at 3:30 pm. Here are pictures from this year's Jagannath celebrations in Puri and across India.
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Lakhs of devotees from across the country and abroad are expected to participate in the grand event in the seaside temple town of Odisha's Puri.
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The deities in Puri's Jagannath Temple appeared before the devotees after a fortnight. The public ‘darshan’ was stopped after the bathing ritual on June 11.
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The deities are not seen by devotees during this time, as it is believed they fall ill after the ceremonial bath. They remain in seclusion at the 'Anasar Ghar' (isolation chamber) for a fortnight before the Rath Yatra.
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After completion of all rituals, the pulling of chariots of the sibling deities - Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath - will begin at 4 pm.
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Over 275 AI-enabled CCTV cameras have been installed across Puri and on the roads to Konark, 35 km away and famous for the 13th-century Sun Temple, for surveillance.
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Police drones, anti-sabotage teams, bomb squads, and dog squads are also deployed. The Marine Police, Coast Guard, and Indian Navy will secure the seafront.
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