Lord Lingaraj’s chariot festival celebrated in Bhubaneswar

The deities stay there for four days and the return festival is observed on 5th day.

The annual chariot festival of Lord Lingaraj, the presiding deity of Bhubaneswar, was observed here with festive fervour as the famous Rukuna Ratha Jatra rolled the grand road here. Amid chanting of slokas and beating of cymbals, Lord Lingaraj's festive journey is observed on the eighth day during the waning moon phase in Chaitra month as per the Hindu calendar, also known as Ashokashtami.

Hundreds of of devotees thronged the Lingaraj Temple to pull the chariot.

The bronze idols of three deities- Chandrashekar representing Lord Lingaraj, Rukuna, and Ananta Vasudeva are brought to the chariot amid blowing of conches and chanting of religious hymns.

The four-wheeled 35-ft chariot is pulled from this 11th-century Lord Lingaraj Temple to Mausima Temple, amid tight security. The deities stay there for four days and the return festival is observed on 5th day.

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