Kapurthala celebrates 3rd Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra with devotion, joy

In a display of devotion and unity, residents from all walks of life in Kapurthala came together to participate in the 3rd Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra, which passed through the city’s main bazaars on Saturday evening.

The procession was organised by the ISKCON Kapurthala branch under the guidance of Swami Narottam Anand, the head of ISKCON Ludhiana.

Devotees from Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Banga and even a few foreign nationals joined the Yatra, making it a grand spectacle of faith and spirituality. Neeraj Aggarwal, coordinator of the ISKCON Kapurthala branch, shared that 22 jhankis (floats) depicting the life of Lord Jagannath were part of the procession.

Women devotees, adorned in colourful dresses, expressed their devotion through traditional dances, including garba, dandia and umbrella dance. The rath yatra was filled with joyful devotional songs, dance and a palpable sense of spiritual fervour, making the entire city feel charged with divine energy.

Social and voluntary organisations organised cold water shabeels and community kitchens to offer refreshments to the devotees. Despite the humid weather, residents eagerly waited for over three hours along the roads to witness the procession and pay their respects to Lord Jagannath. The city was beautifully decorated with flowers and lights to welcome the Yatra.

The procession, which began from Rani Sahiba Temple, passed through Satnarain Bazar, Main Sadar Bazar, and Jallokhana, taking more than five hours to complete its journey. At Satnarain Temple, the Yatra was warmly welcomed by devotees and temple Sewadar Naresh Kumar, who showered flowers and offered fruits in reverence.

Leaders from all political parties, including AAP leader Parwinder Singh Dhot, BJP District President Ranjit Singh Khojewal, Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjit Singh and Congress workers, also participated in the event, greeting the people with joy and devotion.