Ahmedabad, July 01: Amid religious fervour and tight security measures, the 126th Rath Yatra began from the Jagannath temple in Jamalpur area here today morning.

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi performed the traditional ritual of Pahind by sweeping the path with a golden broom, paving way for the yatra to begin.


Modi, along with Union minister Harin Pathak and Gujarat ministers Ashok Bhatt and Amit Shah, pulled the chariot till the temple entrance, from where it would traverse nearly 24 km through the walled city and return in the evening.


The religious ceremonies began at 4.00 am with `mangla arti` performed by the mahants followed by seating of the idols of Lord Jagannath, Subhadra and Baldev in the chariots amid chanting of "Jai Ranchod...Makhan Chor".

A thick security blanket has been thrown in and around the Lord Jagannath temple and in the city with nearly 6000 para-military jawans posted along the yatra route which passes through some sensitive areas also.


Thousands of people thronged the temple since Tuesday morning to get ‘darshan’, besides the ‘prasad’.


Nearly 20,000 kg of cereal and other fruits would be distributed as ‘prasad’ to devotees during the procession. Bureau Report