Rath Yatra Puri LIVE: Priests and devotees take part in the ‘pahandi’ rituals of Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri, Tuesday, June 23, 2020. The Rath Yatra is being organised in a restricted manner this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (PTI Photo)

Rath Yatra LIVE: The annual lord Jagannath Yatra in Puri has started today. Idols of Lord Jagannath, Balbhadra and Subhadra are moved out of Jagannath temple and were seated on chariots. The chariots are moved by ‘sevayats’ on the ‘Bada Danda’ road in Puri towards the Gundicha Temple. In a good news for millions of devotees of Lord Jagannath, the Supreme Court on Monday granted permission to hold the historic historic Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Odisha’s Puri. Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri is happening today. There are some conditions of Rath Yatra including no attendance by general public. Earlier on June 18, SC had stayed the Puri Rath Yatra in the wake of Coronavirus Pandemic. on Monday, the SC modified its order and permitted the traditional procession of chariots after Odisha government’s stand that it will be organised in a limited way with no public attendance.

SC also directed the state government to impose curfew during the time of procession in the coastal town Puri where the annual Lord Jagannnath Rath Yatra is held.

Meanwhile in Gujarat, the High Court said that it will not modify it earlier order in which it directed that the Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad should be held within the temple premise only. Gujarat HC rejected application moved by the state government regarding the issue.The Gujarat government pleaded before the court that it will also impose curfew on the route of Rath Yatra and will allow only few people to attend Rath Yatra with just three chariots.