Ahmedabad, 28 June, 2014

From Governor to Chief Minister, Police Commissioner to Municipal Commissioner, Ministers, ruling party’s office bearers, opposition party’s top rank in state, city managers including Mayor, city ruling party president and more visited Jagannath Mandir a day before Rath Yatra. Presented here are some photographs of the occasion and some videos too(with bytes of dignitaries).

Chief Minister’s Rath Yatra visit:

Chief Minister Anandiben Patel took visit to the famous Jagannath temple of Ahmedbad today on the eve of 137th Rath Yatra and observed the preparation for the Yatra.

Mrs. Patel offered prayers to the lord Jagannath and sought blessings of the mahant Shri Dilipdasji. The devotees and saints of the temple heartily welcomed the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister performed sandhya aarti on the occasion. She said that Rath Yatra has been an occasion of religious festivity for the people since past over 125 years.

Lord Jagannath is the God and guardian of poor. Through Rath Yatra he moves out in the city to give darshan to his devotees and to ask their wellbeing, she said.

Mrs. Patel said that Ahmedabad has been a city of mill workers. Mill workers from all corners of India have come here and contributed in the development of the city. They have brought with them their culture, festivals and religious customs to the state. The tradition of celebrating festivals with bonhomie has been expanded on a wide scale. Today, more than 125 cities and towns of Gujarat witness the celebration of Jagannath Rath Yatra every year with peace and harmony.

The Chief Minister wished that Lord Jagannath will keep on showering his grace to all – farmers, poor and people in villages and cities. She wished that with the blessing of the lord the youth will keep earning their livelihood and Gujarat will scale new heights of development.

Minister of State for Home Rajanikant Patel, Minister of State for Law Pradipsinh Jadeja, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Shankar Chaudhary, MP from Ahmedabad Dr. Kiritsinh Solanki, MLAs, Ahmedabad Mayor Minakshiben Patel, Municipal Councilors and Trustee of Jagannath temple Mahendra Jha, among others were present on the occasion.