In Photos: Lord Jagannath’s annual Rath Yatra begins in Puri

The nine-day annual Jagannath Rath Yatra commenced on Thursday in the holy coastal city of Puri, Odisha, with lakhs of devotees gathering to witness one of India's most revered religious festivals

According to tradition, Lord Jagannath, along with his siblings Lord Balabhadra and sister Devi Subhadra, embarks on a nine-day annual sojourn from the 12th-century Jagannath Temple to their birthplace, the Gundicha Temple, where they stay till the “Bahuda Yatra” (returning car festival), scheduled for July 24 this year

The deities board three huge decorated chariots before travelling around 3 km to the Gundicha Temple. Millions of devotees pull the chariots along the Bada Danda (Grand Road) in Puri

Officials said top priority is being given to the timely completion of rituals in view of the delay in pulling the chariots last year, when Lord Jagannath’s chariot — Nandighosh — could barely move a few metres

The government also said adequate plans have been put in place for crowd control and devotees’ safety

Nearly 12,000 police personnel, 19 senior IPS officers, and over 100 senior administrative officers have been deployed as Puri welcomes lakhs of devotees from across the globe for the nine-day festival

Around three million devotees from India and abroad are expected to visit Puri during the festival

Multiple evacuation corridors for the swift movement of devotees in emergencies, eight temporary hospitals with adequate staff, installation of nearly 500 CCTVs, and special measures for persons with disabilities, the elderly, and women are among the steps taken for smooth crowd management

At least 1,700 bio-toilets have been installed for devotees, with volunteers deployed to maintain cleanliness and sanitation

As a committee probed last year’s chaos and stampede-like situation, an official said the chief minister has directed officers in charge to maintain uninterrupted communication while enforcing the planned measures and ensure no communication gap arises

Besides police personnel, including central forces deployed for crowd control, personnel from the Indian Navy and Coast Guard have also been roped in to ensure devotees’ safety