President Draupadi Murmu extends warm greetings to devotees on the occasion of annual Jagannath Rath Yatra
New Delhi: In honor of the annual Jagannath Rath Yatra, President Droupadi Murmu on Friday sent her warmest regards to Lord Jagannath’s followers both domestically and beyond.
“I send my warmest regards to Lord Jagannath’s followers both in India and outside on this auspicious Rath Yatra occasion. Millions of devotees feel holy ecstasy by seeing Lord Balabhadra, Lord Shri Jagannath, Goddess Subhadra, and Chakraraj Sudarshan in the chariot,” the president said in an Odia post on X.
ପବିତ୍ର ରଥଯାତ୍ରା ଉପଲକ୍ଷେ ମୁଁ ଦେଶ-ବିଦେଶରେ ରହୁଥିବା ମହାପ୍ରଭୁ ଜଗନ୍ନାଥଙ୍କ ଭକ୍ତଗଣଙ୍କୁ ହାର୍ଦ୍ଦିକ ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା ଜଣାଉଛି । ରଥ ଉପରେ ବିଜେ ବଡ଼ଠାକୁର ବଳଭଦ୍ର, ମହାପ୍ରଭୁ ଶ୍ରୀଜଗନ୍ନାଥ, ଦେବୀ ସୁଭଦ୍ରା ଓ ଚକ୍ରରାଜ ସୁଦର୍ଶନଙ୍କୁ ଦର୍ଶନ କରି ଲକ୍ଷ ଲକ୍ଷ ଭକ୍ତ ଦିବ୍ୟ ଅନୁଭୂତି ଲାଭ କରିଥାନ୍ତି । ଶ୍ରୀଜୀଉମାନଙ୍କ ମାନବୀୟ ଲୀଳା ହିଁ…
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) June 27, 2025
She prayed for world peace, friendship, and harmony in her speech. “The Rath Yatra’s unique feature is the deities’ human-like divine play. I pray to the Lord that friendship, peace, and harmony will rule the globe on this auspicious day,” she said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also sent his warmest regards to the country earlier today, calling the celebration a “unique confluence of faith and devotion.”
Shah emphasized the importance of the Rath Yatra in a post on X, saying that it represents the spirit of progress while valuing devotion, tradition, and legacy.
“Jagannath, hail! Warmest regards to everyone on this holy day of the Shri Jagannath Rath Yatra. Moving ahead while valuing devotion, culture, and tradition is fundamental to who we are, as the Rath Yatra of Shri Jagannath Ji tells us. It is a singular fusion of religion and devotion. For everyone’s well-being and advancement, I offer prayers to Mahaprabhu Jagannath, Veer Balabhadra, and Mata Subhadra,” Shah said on X.
On the occasion of the annual Rath Yatra, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi greeted devotees warmly and urged them to take part with all of their faith and devotion.
The three deities—Lord Jagannath, his brother Lord Balabhadra, and sister goddess Subhadra—are drawn by devotees in their magnificent chariots to the Gundicha Temple during the festival. The deities stay there for a week before moving back to the Jagannath Temple. Since a sizable audience is anticipated for the Rath Yatra celebration, traffic control is a crucial concern.