State celebrates ‘Car-fest’ with grandeur, festivity

State of Chhattisgarh witnessed festivity all over and was also blessed with rains, considered to be auspicious for better harvest on Saturday as part of the annual ‘Jagannath Rath Yatra.

Throughout the state, at Lord Jagannath temples, the ‘Car-festival’ was observed where the chariot of Lord Jagannath and his two siblings, Balaram and Subhadra, visit their aunt at the Gundicha Temple. The devotees pulled the chariots with full devotion, en route to the visit.

At capital city in Raipur, Chief Minister, Assembly Speaker Gaurishankar Agrawal at Gayatri Nagar based Jagannath Temple participated in the car festival. They offered prayers to Lord Jagannath, Balbadhra and Subhadara. They sought blessings for prosperity, peace and tranquillity in the state.

Chief Minister from temple to the chariot path, using the ‘gold broom’ completed the sweeping ceremony of ‘Chehra-Pahra’. Earlier, Chief Minister participated in the ‘Yagya’ organised in the temple premises. Then following all the religious rituals, the Lords and their sister were placed on the chariots with devotion going in high pitch by the devotees present during the rituals.

Chhattisgarh Governor Balramji Das Tandon, Chief Minister Raman Singh and Speaker Gaurishankar Agrawal extended greetings to the people of state on the occasion.

Agriculture and water resources department minister Brijmohan Agrawal, forest minister Mahesh Gagda, MLA Shrichand Sunderani, State Rajya Sabha MP Chaya Verma, wife of CM Veena Singh, Chhattisgarh State Industrial Development Corporation chairman Chaggan Mundra, Raipur Development Authority Chairman Sanjay Shrivastava, former , Speaker Dharamlal Kaushik, Raipur Mayor Pramod Dubey among others were present.