Sri Ram Navami: Kalash Jatra kicks off in Bhadrak; Sec 144 relaxed for few hours

Bhadrak: With the Orissa High Court relaxing prohibitory orders for a few hours in the town, thousands of devotees from across the state, on Friday, participated in the Kalash Sobha Jatra as a part of Sri Ram Navami celebrations.

As per sources, the district administration had clamped prohibitory orders under Sec 144 of CrPc in the town as a measure to maintain law and order ahead of the Ram Navami celebrations. Protesting this, the Sriram Mahayajna Samiti of Bhadrak had filed a petition in the High Court after which the route restriction as well as the restrictions under Sec 144 were relaxed for five hours from 1 pm to 6 pm today.

This apart, the High Court directed the state government and the district administration to permit the Sobha Jatra on the same route which was banned by them.

High Court senior lawyer Pitambar Acharya said, “Sri Ram Navami will be celebrated in Bhadrak in a traditional way with all rituals like it was till last year. In a similar way, for this year’s Kalash Jatra, Nagar Sankirtan and Maha Yajna, the High Court has directed the state government and district administration to organise it peacefully.”

A devotee said, “All the eyes are on Bhadrak today. The Sri Ram Mahotsav has become an identity of Bhadrak. Women from all parts of the state have gathered here to participate in this grand festival.”

Organised by the Sriram Mahayagna Samiti, the three-day Sobha Jatra kicked off today and will continue till Sri Ram Navami on March 25.

Meanwhile, police have made elaborate security arrangements in different areas of the town to prevent any untoward incident.

SP Anup Sahu said, “The High Court has directed us to follow the same route which we had followed in 2017. We will discuss with the organisers and have a peace committee meeting to ensure normalcy in the town till this festival concludes.”

Last year in April, violent clashes erupted between two communities over a controversial online post on Lord Rama and Goddess Sita.

People in large numbers had resorted to vandalism and attacked police personnel alleging inaction. Besides, irate mob had torched several shops in the town.

The situation was so grim that the district administration had imposed curfew at regular intervals for 35 days.