Conduct of Puri Rath Yatra a best practice to fight Covid-19: Naveen Patnaik

BHUBANESWAR: Amid alarming rise in Covid-19 cases in the state, chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday projected the successful conduct of just-concluded Rath Yatra in Puri as a best practice to fight against the invisible virus.
In a 4-minute video message, Naveen said the successful conduct of Rath Yatra amid the pandemic has taught three key messages—sacrifice, self-restraint and discipline, which should be adopted by everyone to ensure victory over the novel corona virus.
“This year’s Rath Yatra created history as all the rituals were performed smoothly and in a disciplined manner without the congregation of devotees. Just a day before Rath Yatra, I had told that the world was watching us as we were scheduled to host Rath Yatra under the Covid glare. By god’s grace, we succeeded in hosting the festival,” Naveen said.
The chief minister said the Puri Rath Yatra set an example before the whole world in terms of proper compliance of the Covid-19 guidelines and safety precautions. “Puri showed the way. Though the deities were on the chariots for four days on the Grand Road, people of Puri and devotees obeyed the Covid guidelines and stayed in their homes. They did not come out to watch the festival. Their sacrifice, self-restraint and discipline are incomparable and cannot be forgotten,” Naveen said.
Naveen said the sibling deities came out of the Jagannath temple to instill the lessons of sacrifice and discipline among devotees. “To win the Covid battle, we have to strictly adhere to sacrifice, discipline and self-restraint—the three main weapons against the virus,” Naveen said.
The chief minister expressed concern that India became the third worst-impacted country in the world following the Covid outbreak. “Covid cases are also rising in Odisha. I had earlier warned that the cases might increase during the monsoon. Until the Covid vaccine or treatment is available, life will never be same again. We all have to obey the Covid-19 guidelines and stay indoors,” said Naveen, adding “People should accept the new normal of wearing mask, maintaining social distance and washing hands frequently to keep Covid at bay.” Naveen also urged people to take care of elders and children in the families during the health crisis.