Rath Yatra festival being celebrated across Bangladesh today

The Hindu community across Bangladesh is celebrating the holy festival of Rath Yatra today, Friday, with major processions and religious events scheduled in Dhaka and other parts of the country.

According to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Bangladesh, a total of 128 Rath Yatra festivals will take place nationwide under its initiative. The Dhaka Rath Yatra, organized from the ISKCON Swamibag Ashram, is considered the second largest Rath Yatra celebration in the world, after the one held in Puri, India.

Sri Charu Chandra Das Brahmachari, general secretary of ISKCON Bangladesh, shared details of the celebration during a press briefing held Wednesday at the Swamibag Ashram in the capital.

The festivities in Dhaka began early Friday morning at 8.00am with the Agnihotra Yagya, a traditional fire ritual for world peace and prosperity. A discussion session was held at 1:30pm, followed by the inauguration of the chariot procession at 3.00pm.

The colorful chariot procession, a highlight of the event, will start from Swamibag and move through key city points including Ittefaq intersection, Motijheel, Dainik Bangla, the North Gate of Baitul Mukarram, the National Press Club, the High Court intersection, and the Central Shaheed Minar, before concluding at Dhakeshwari Temple. The return journey, or reverse Rath Yatra, will follow the same route on July 5, after nine days of festivities.

ISKCON officials expect hundreds of thousands of devotees to join the celebrations this year. Law enforcement agencies, including the police, will be deployed along the procession route to ensure security. Over 500 trained volunteers will also assist with crowd control and event management.

The Rath Yatra of Sri Sri Jagannath Dev is observed annually on the second day of the Shukla Paksha in the lunar month of Ashadh, and holds deep religious significance for Hindus in Bangladesh. Originating from the world-renowned Jagannath Temple in Puri, India, the festival is marked by vibrant processions, religious discussions, devotional singing (Padavali Kirtan), cultural programs, and spiritual plays.

This year, organizers have planned an eight-day celebration around the Rath Yatra, emphasizing the importance of peace, unity, and devotion among communities.