Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja reviews Rath Yatra preparations in Odisha’s Puri

As Puri gears up for the grand Rath Yatra, Odisha Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja visited the pilgrimage town on Sunday to assess the preparations. He held high-level discussions with temple officials and reviewed chariot construction, promising a peaceful and orderly festival of the Holy Trinity this year.

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Rath Yatra preparations at ground zero

According to official sources, in a crucial pre-Rath Yatra visit, the Chief Secretary arrived in Puri to conduct an on-ground review of the festival preparations. The senior bureaucrat held detailed discussions with the Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Arabinda Padhee and other senior officials at the temple office.

Following this, the Chief Secretary inspected the chariot construction site and interacted with three chief Maharana servitors (Viswakarma Sevayats) overseeing the work on the majestic chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra.

Ahuja also visited Singhadwar (Lions’ Gate) of the temple to evaluate ongoing restoration and artistic work, including traditional paintings and woodwork associated with the annual 9-day sojourn of the sibling deities.

The Chief Secretary expressed confidence that, with the Blessings of Lord Jagannath, this year’s Rath Yatra will be conducted peacefully and in a well-coordinated manner. The State government, in collaboration with the temple authorities, is focusing on ensuring safety, order, and spiritual fervour for the millions of devotees expected to attend.

“What we guess, the chariot construction work will be over well ahead of time. We always have the Blessings of the Lord (Mahaprabhu Jagannath). Like the previous years, necessary arrangements by the administration will be in place this year too,” Ahuja stated.

“Expectedly, a larger number of devotees will throng the pilgrimage town during Rath Yatra festivities. Accordingly, arrangements are being made,” the Chief Secretary added.