Puri Rath Yatra likely to be held without devotees

Bhubaneswar, May 30 (IANS) The annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath and his siblings could be performed provided the Odisha government ensured non-arrival of devotees to Puri, said Puri Gajapati Dibya Singha Deb, here on Saturday.The Ratha Yatra could be organised with minimum servitors and without devotees if the Odisha government granted permission for the 9-day sojourn of deities, said the Puri Gajapati after a meeting of Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee during the day.As part of Rath Yatra and Bahuda Yatra, three chariots would be pulled on the Badadanda (grand road) in presence of servitors, officials and policemen. Snana Yatra, scheduled on June 5, could be performed inside temple premises, he said.He said the temple would remain closed till Niladribije in view of Covid-19 pandemic.The Information and Public Relations Department will make arrangements for live telecast of Snana Yatra and Rath Yatra rituals. "I request devotees to stay safe at home and watch the telecast on television," the Puri Gajapati said.
--IANS cd/pcj