The Supreme court has granted permission for the Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra to take place as scheduled. It has ordered the temple committee, state, and central Governments to coordinate to make sure that this does not significantly add to the existing number of coronavirus cases. Public will not be allowed to particpate in the Rath Yatra.
The Supreme Court had earlier said that “Lord Jagannath won’t forgive” if the Rath Yatra is allowed this year. However, based on the Centre and Odisha governments appeal, Chief Justice SA Bobde set a 3 judge bench which heard the matter on Monday.
Odisha government had informed the bench headed by the Chief Justice that it will coordinate with the temple management and Centre to ensure a smooth Rath Yatra.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that it was a matter of faith. “If Lord Jagannath will not come out tomorrow, he cannot come out for 12 years as per traditions”, he said.
It is to be noted that this Yatra symbolises the return of Lord Krishna or Lord Jagannath as he is known in Puri, from Dwaraka, a kingdom that he ruled, to Braj Bhoomi (modern-day Mathura and Vrindavan), a place where he grew up.
This Rath yatra that takes place in the Puri Jagannath temple in Odisha every year dates back to several centuries and finds mentions in ancient scriptures like the Brahma Purana. Thousands of devotees from all over the world take part in the procession which begins from the iconic Puri temple. The deities start from the temple and head to the Gundicha temple, built in the memory of the Queen of King Indradyumna, who built the famous Puri Temple. They return on Ashadha Shukla Paksha Dashami, a custom known as Bahuda.