Puri Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath likely to be held without devotees

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 organized 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 the Covid-19 pandemic. (IANS)