A devotee reacts while carrying an idol of Lord Jagannath during the annual "Rath Yatra" in Hyderabad on Tuesday
A man displays his skills as others look on during the annual Rath Yatra in Ahmadabad. Thousands of devotees joined the procession as it started its journey through the 14-kilometre long route including some communally sensitive areas, in old city
Thousands of devotees and foreign tourists chanting 'Hare Krishna' Tuesday pulled the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Balaram and Subhadra during the annual Ratha Yatra (chariot festival) in Kolkata.
Hindu devotees participate in the annual "Rath Yatra," or chariot procession of Lord Jagannath, in Ahmadabad. The yatra will see participation of 18 decorated elephants, 98 decorated trucks apart from three big decorated raths of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balram and Subhadra, which will be pulled by 1,000 devotees.
A man wearing Gujarat state chief minister Narendra Modi's mask, center participates in the annual 'Rath Yatra' or chariot procession of Lord Jagannath in Ahmadabad
A man wearing Gujarat state chief minister Narendra Modi's mask, center participates in the annual 'Rath Yatra' or chariot procession of Lord Jagannath in Ahmadabad
Gujarat state Chief Minister Narendra Modi (C, in blue) arrives to offer prayers at the Lord Jagannath Mandir in Ahmedabad eve of the 133rd Annual Rathyatra. Modi is the first CM of Gujarat state to participate in prayers here for the 9th consecutive year.
Union Food Processing Minister Subodh Kant Sahay pays obeisance to Lord Jagannath and ISKCON founder Prabhupada before the start of Rath Yatra in Kolkata on Tuesday. Organised by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON, the procession with the deities astride three chariots snaked its way from Park Circus Maidan of South Kolkata to reach the Ganga Sagar Mela near Babughat in the central part of the city.
Union Food Processing Minister Subodh Kant Sahay (2nd L) and Kolkata Mayor Sovan Chatterjee (2nd R) before the start of the Ratha Yatra in Kolkata on Tuesday
Devotees pulling the chariot of Lord Jagannath during the Rath Yatra in Patna on Tuesday. In view of massive inflow of pilgrims during the Rath Yatra, the East Coast Railway has decided to arranged for 63 special trains to Puri during the festival.
Devotees taking part in the 133rd Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. Apart from this, 14 trains have been diverted and extended to Puri irrespective of their destination stations.
Security personnel trying to control a huge crowd of devotees near the Lord Jagannath temple during the annual Rath Yatra in Puri on Tuesday. After a series of rituals, the deities were taken off the Ratna Sinhasana, the bejewelled throne, and out of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. The deities were taken down 22 steps known as 'baisi pahacha' through Lion's gate in an elaborate ritual called 'Pahandi' to the beating of gongs as devotees and sevayats jostled to have a closer look and to touch them
Security personnel trying to control a huge crowd of devotees near the Lord Jagannath temple during the annual Rath Yatra in Puri on Tuesday. The Rath Yatra marks the annual journey of the three deities from the 12th century Jagannath temple in three splendidly decorated wooden chariots, pulled by devotees, to the Gundecha temple, about two kilometres away.
Devotees raise their hands in praise of Lord Jagannath during the Rath Yatra in Kolkata on Tuesday. Monks of the ISKCON order who arrived from various parts of the globe distributed prasad as Mayor Sovan Chatterjee swept the streets with a gold-plated broom flagging off the festival. Union Minister Subodh Kant Sahay was also present as a special invitee.
Devotees extend their hands to touch Lord Jagannath's idol during the Rath Yatra in Surat on Tuesday.
Security personnel stand guard near the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra during the Rath Yatra in Puri on Tuesday. The festival culminates nine days later when the deities make their way back home to the Jagannath temple.
A priest distributes prasad to devotees during the Rath Yatra in Kolkata on Tuesday. Over 10,000 pilgrims attended the Rath Yatra festival at Mahesh in Hooghly district. A few lakh devotees have also gathered at Mayapur in Nadia district on the occasion.
Devotees stand in line to offer flowers to Lord Jagannath's chariot during the Rath Yatra in Kolkata on Tuesday. Wooden replicas of the chariots of all sizes sold like hot cakes across the city, with children merrily pulling their own chariots in the lanes and bylanes.
Hindu devotees play drums and dance during the annual "Rath Yatra," or chariot procession festival, in New Delhi on Tuesday
