Rath Yatra 2017: Devotees across India celebrate chariot festival

The chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Debi Subhadra are all decked up on the eve of Rath Yatra festival in Puri. (Source PTI)

Odissi dancers perform in front of the three chariots during the inauguration of the annual Lord Jagannath Rathyatra festival in Puri on Sunday. (Source: PTI )

The cart festival of Lord Jagannath, traditionally known as the Jagannath Rath Yatra, is more than 5,000 years old. (Express Photo by Javed Raja)

Muslims present a picture of Lord Krishna and Radha to Jagannath temple priest Dilipdas Maharaj as a gesture of communal harmony, ahead of 140th Annunal Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. (Source PTI)

Rath Yatra marks the return of Lord Krishna to Vrindavan with his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra. (Express Photo by Javed Raja)

The three deities go on a nine-day journey to the Gundicha Temple. (Express Photo by Javed Raja)

The wait for devotees to witness Yatra is over. A devotee celebrating in Ahmedabad. (Express Photo by Javed Raja)

Nandighosa (Rath of Lord Jagannath), Taladhwaja (Balabhadra) and Devadalana (Subhadra) ride out on Rath Yatra since 12th century. (Express Photo by Javed Raja)

A Hindu devotee performs Gatka, a traditional martial arts form, during a rehearsal for the annual Rath Yatra, or chariot procession, which commemorates a journey by Hindu god Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra, and sister Subhadra, in specially made chariots, in Ahmedabad. (Source PTI)

Hindu devotees pull the "Rath" or the chariot of Lord Jagannath, during the annual Rath Yatra, or chariot procession, in Ahmedabad, India June 25, 2017. (Source: Reuters)

Acclaimed Odissi dancer Dona Ganguly's troupe performs during 46th ISKCON Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Kolkata on Sunday. (Source: Reuters)

Devotees rush to pull chariot during 46th ISKCON Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Kolkata on Sunday. (Source: Reuters)

Foreigners take part in the 46th ISKCON Rathayatra procession in Kolkata. (Source: Express photo by Subham Dutta)

Dancers perform traditional dance form during ISKCON Rathayatra procession in Kolkata. (Source: Express photo by Subham Dutta)

Kolkata mayor Sovan Chatterjee along with West Bengal Minister Subrata Mukherjee inaugurate the 46th ISKCON Rathyatra in Kolkata. (Source: Express photo by Subham Dutta)