Millions of devotees have been on their feet since morning, arriving at temples across the country to participate in the annual Rath Yatra and seek blessing of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra.

Jagannath Rath Yatra is one of the biggest festivals in the country and is mainly celebrated with all its grandeur in Odisha
and Gujarat. According to reports, Rath Yatra began on July 14 at 4:32 am and will end on 00:55 am on July 15, while Ulta Ratha (return car) will take place on July 23, 2018.

This year, Puri is celebrating its 141st annual Rath Yatra. Security has been beefed up to ensure that there is no threat during the celebration. NDTV reported that while railway police have increased vigil at Puri and Bhubaneswar railway stations, the Coast Guard has stepped up sea patrolling off the Puri coast. Also, 120 CCTV cameras have been installed at sensitive locations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to twitter to extend his greeting on this auspicious day.

President Ram Nath Kovind in his tweet also wished that peace and prosperity prevail.

BJP President Amit Shah and Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani offered morning prayers at the Lord Jagannath Mandir in Ahmedabad.

On this auspicious day, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Governor Ganeshi Lal and HC Chief Justice Vineet Saran offered payers and sought blessings during Rath Yatra.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inaugurated the 47th Kolkata Rath Yatra, organised by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).

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