Bhubaneswar: With the Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Puri nearing, preparations are nearly complete, Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan on July 1, 2024 said that no VIP entry will be allowed at the Puri Shri Jagannath Temple during the Rath Yatra.
Harichandan said CM Mohan Majhi will review all aspects at a crucial meeting tomorrow. “This time, priority is being given to discipline, minimum amenities for women, and resolving issues relating to VIP movement which usually create problems in the conduct of rituals on Rath Yatra,” said Harichandan.
He also added that the servitors of the temple have assured full cooperation in the conduct of the Rath Yatra. They have also ensured no crowd on chariots which might create problems in the darshan of the deities.
The minister said VIPs generally create problems in rituals during Rath Yatra, So it has been decided to stop anyone from entering the temple on that day.
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President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to participate in the Rath Yatra celebrations in Puri this year. So Security arrangements have been tightened for her visit.
The Minister said preparations including the route and darshan by the President have been almost finalised. If the President desires to pull the chariot during Rath Yatra, necessary steps will be taken in this regard, he added.
It may be noted that President Droupadi Murmu is coming on a four-day visit to the state beginning July 6 to attend the Rath Yatra festival.
As per her tentative schedule, the President will arrive here in Bhubaneswar on July 6 and attend a programme at Jaydev Bhawan in the evening. She will attend the Rath Yatra at Puri on July 7. This will be the first time Murmu will witness Rath Yatra after becoming the President.
On July 8, the President will visit the Khandagiri and Udayagiri caves in the capital city of Bhubaneswar and attend a programme of Brahma Kumaris at Andharua, Bhubaneswar.
She will grace a function at the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) at Jatni on June 9. The president is scheduled to return to New Delhi on June 9.
