Katni, The 144th historic Rath Yatra of Lord Shri Jagannath Swami in Katni will be celebrated in an even grander manner this year. The religious festival, which will run from July 15th to July 27th, will feature the bhajan group from Delhi ISKCON, a grand aarti with 1,100 lamps, a grand Rath Yatra, cultural performances, and a grand feast. The temple committee has completed preparations for the event and has appealed to devotees to attend in large numbers.
The 144th Rath Yatra festival, organized under the joint auspices of the Shri Jagannath Swami Temple Committee and the Shri Sankranti Seva Samiti, will begin with a grand vehicle rally on July 15th at 4 p.m. On July 16th, at 4 p.m., a grand Maha Aarti (grand aarti) with 1,100 lamps will be held. After this, at 5 p.m., the grand Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra will depart from the temple and travel through the city's main streets, arriving at the Radha-Krishna Temple in the Sabzi Mandi.
This year, the festival's biggest attraction will be the Bhajan Mandali of Delhi ISKCON, which will immerse the entire city in devotion with its musical performances. South Indian cultural performances, Bhajan Mandalis from various states, and Sankirtan programs will be a special attraction for devotees. The Lord will rest from July 17th to 22nd, while on July 23rd, the Rath Yatra of Mother Janaki will depart to bring the Lord back to the Jagannath Temple.
Grand Bhajan Sandhyas and cultural programs will be held every evening from July 24th to 26th. The festival will conclude on July 27th with a havan (fire sacrifice), a feast for Brahmins and girls, and a grand Mahabhandara (bhoomi pujan). Temple committee president Pramod Sarawagi, secretary Shiv Soni and all the officials have appealed to the people of the district to participate in this religious festival with their families and receive the blessings of Lord Jagannath Swami.