For Ahmedabad residents, 'Rath Yatra' an occasion to be philanthropic

Ahmedabad, July 3 The 145th Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath has begun in Ahmedabad. It's like a festival for the entire walled city where people from all the communities and class take a leap of faith.

Ahmedabad is known for its philanthropy tradition. Rath Yatra is one such festive occasion which has survived on faith and philanthropy.

Police personnel provide security to devotees assembled for the Rath Yatra and the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation helps in making other arrangements. All other facilities are provided by the people of the city voluntarily.

People put stalls of butter milk, sharbat and water throughout the route undertaken during the Rath Yatra. They consider it as a service of the people who walk for 19 to 20km with their God.

The maximum crowd gathers in the Saraspur area where Rath Yatra takes a brief halt and even deities Lord Jagannath, his brother Balbhadra and sister Subhadra are served the 'bhog' and presented with gifts from the maternal uncle called 'Mosalu' or 'Mameru'.

This year such an arrangement has changed as earlier one had to wait for 10 years for Lord's 'Mamera'. There is the Ranchhodraiji Mandir Trust, which hosts the deity and performs the 'Mamera Vidhi'.

One of the temple trustees told that this year they had heavy clothes for the three deities and silver necklaces, gold rings, gold chains, toe rings and earrings for deity Lord Subhadra.

Mahendra Bagdi, resident of Saraspur area, told that nearly 1.5 to 2 lakh people visit Ahmedabad every year during the Rath Yatra.

"We put stalls like butter milk, tea, sharbat, Rajwadi Khichdi for the Rath Yatra devotees. Many 'Pols'

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