Ratha Yatra celebrated in Rajshahi, Barisal

RAJSHAHI: Members of the Hindu community began celebrating one of their major religious festivals - Ratha Yatra- with due religious fervour and festivity on Wednesday, reports BSS.
Thousands of Hindu devotees gathered at selected places and joined with full enthusiasm the ritual of pulling chariots to celebrate the occasion. Old and young, male and female, boys and girls together joined the ritual amidst much fanfare.
The main Ratha Yatra programme in the metropolis was organised in Alupatty area while in the district in Khetur Gourangabari area under Godagari upazila.
The main journey of Jagannath Dev was brought out from rathbari to the city's Alupatty crossing Wednesday afternoon, which paraded several city streets with a festive mode.
Thousands of Hindu community members including female and children joined in pulling the raths (chariot) by long ropes through various city streets.
The participants attired in traditional Hindu costumes beat drums and played other musical instruments and walked along the streets.
A large number of onlookers' of various creed and cast were seen witnessing the colourful Ratha Yatra on both sides of the road.
As part of the festival, a huge 'Rather Mela' is also being held on the three-kilometer Kalpona hall crossing to Seroil bus terminal with the participation of large number of shops displaying various traditional and handicraft items like furniture, handicrafts, toys and sweetmeat. A huge crowd was seen thronging the fair throughout the day.
Hundreds of devotees from different parts of the district as well as from neighboring areas assembled here to observe the century-old Ratha Yatra festival of Hindu community.
The law enforcement agencies tightened up security measures averting any untoward incident for the sake of ensuring communal harmony on the occasion.
Hindu community participated in Ratha Yatra procession in the city calling for communal harmony and peaceful coexistence's //

OUR Staff Reporter adds from Barisal: Hundreds of people of Hindu community brought out procession of Ratha Yatra (Jatra) Utsav (festival of drawing chariot) on city roads on Wednesday afternoon calling for unity, harmony, peaceful coexistence's of all community. Tight security measures by the law enforcers were arranged for the safety of the participants.
The devotees on this occasion draw the rope of chariot of Lord Krishna and distributed Prasad (the food offering to a deity).
On this occasion two separate and colorful processions were brought out from Jagannath Dev Temple at city centre.
Another procession of Antorjatik Krishna Vabonamrita Sangho (International Society for Krishna Consciousness / ISKCON) started from Shyam Shunadar Mandir and  ended at Sangkar Math.  Rakhal Chandra Dey, district president of Puja Udjapon Parishad and president Dharma Rakkhini Sava inaugurated the procession from  Jagannath Dev Temple.
The procession of ISKON was inaugurated by AL lawmaker Pankaj Dev Nath, while  district AL secretary Advocate Talukdar Md. Yunus MP attended the programme as chief guest.
The processions of Jagannath Dev Temple ended at Dhamarakkhini Shava and of ISKCON ended at Shankar Math of the city after moving on city roads.
On this occasion discussions were held before starting the procession addressing on the history, tradition, significance, myths and merit of Rath  Yatra festival.
 Advocate Dilip Ghosh, Swapan Kumar Datta, district and city presidents of the Puja Udjapon Committee, Addhkhya Bijitatmananda, head of Ramakrishna Mission Barisal, Durlav Das of ISKCON, addressed the programmes.
Participants of the programmes dancing and singing devoted to Lord Krishna also attended a discussion programme on life and works of Lord Krishna at Dharmarakkhini Shava at evening.
They hoped that the Rath Yatra will play a significant role in building unity and communal harmony among the followers of all faiths in the country and the festival would promote mutual trust and bond among all communities.
Ulto Rath Jatra (the return of chariot) festival would be held on July 20 before full moon.

Ratha Yatra celebrated in Rajshahi, Barisal

RAJSHAHI: Members of the Hindu community began celebrating one of their major religious festivals - Ratha Yatra- with due religious fervour and festivity on Wednesday, reports BSS. Thousands of Hindu devotees gathered at selected places and joined with full enthusiasm the ritual of pulling chariots to celebrate the occasion. Old and young, male and female, boys and girls together joined the ritual amidst much fanfare. The main Ratha Yatra programme in the metropolis was organised in Alupatty area while in the district in Khetur Gourangabari area under Godagari upazila. The main journey of Jagannath Dev was brought out from rathbari to the citys Alupatty crossing Wednesday afternoon, which paraded several city streets with a festive mode. Thousands of Hindu community members including female and children joined in pulling the raths (chariot) by long ropes through various city streets. The participants attired in traditional Hindu costumes beat drums and played other musical instruments and walked along the streets. A large number of onlookers of various creed and cast were seen witnessing the colourful Ratha Yatra on both sides of the road. As part of the festival, a huge Rather Mela is also being held on the three-kilometer Kalpona hall crossing to Seroil bus terminal with the participation of large number of shops displaying various traditional and handicraft items like furniture, handicrafts, toys and sweetmeat. A huge crowd was seen thronging the fair throughout the day. Hundreds of devotees from different parts of the district as well as from neighboring areas assembled here to observe the century-old Ratha Yatra festival of Hindu community. The law enforcement agencies tightened up security measures averting any untoward incident for the sake of ensuring communal harmony on the occasion. Hindu community participated in Ratha Yatra procession in the city calling for communal harmony and peaceful coexistences // OUR Staff Reporter adds from Barisal: Hundreds of people of Hindu community brought out procession of Ratha Yatra (Jatra) Utsav (festival of drawing chariot) on city roads on Wednesday afternoon calling for unity, harmony, peaceful coexistences of all community. Tight security measures by the law enforcers were arranged for the safety of the participants. The devotees on this occasion draw the rope of chariot of Lord Krishna and distributed Prasad (the food offering to a deity). On this occasion two separate and colorful processions were brought out from Jagannath Dev Temple at city centre. Another procession of Antorjatik Krishna Vabonamrita Sangho (International Society for Krishna Consciousness / ISKCON) started from Shyam Shunadar Mandir and ended at Sangkar Math. Rakhal Chandra Dey, district president of Puja Udjapon Parishad and president Dharma Rakkhini Sava inaugurated the procession from Jagannath Dev Temple. The procession of ISKON was inaugurated by AL lawmaker Pankaj Dev Nath, while district AL secretary Advocate Talukdar Md. Yunus MP attended the programme as chief guest. The processions of Jagannath Dev Temple ended at Dhamarakkhini Shava and of ISKCON ended at Shankar Math of the city after moving on city roads. On this occasion discussions were held before starting the procession addressing on the history, tradition, significance, myths and merit of Rath Yatra festival. Advocate Dilip Ghosh, Swapan Kumar Datta, district and city presidents of the Puja Udjapon Committee, Addhkhya Bijitatmananda, head of Ramakrishna Mission Barisal, Durlav Das of ISKCON, addressed the programmes. Participants of the programmes dancing and singing devoted to Lord Krishna also attended a discussion programme on life and works of Lord Krishna at Dharmarakkhini Shava at evening. They hoped that the Rath Yatra will play a significant role in building unity and communal harmony among the followers of all faiths in the country and the festival would promote mutual trust and bond among all communities. Ulto Rath Jatra (the return of chariot) festival would be held on July 20 before full moon.