Stage set for Lord Lingraj’s Rukuna Rath Yatra today

ONI Bureau: The administration is gearing up for Rukuna Rath Yatra, the annual car festival of Lord Lingaraj,  the presiding deity of the city, going to be held at Bhubaneswar on the day of Ashokastami today.

Mangala Alati was performed at around 4 am and the Chariot pulling is expected to be conducted at 3.30 pm today.

The Rath will begin its journey from the Lingaraj temple towards the Mausima temple. Thousands of devotees gathered to pull the chariot.

Tight security arrangements have been made to manage the crowd and maintain law and order during the pulling of the chariot. Every year the festival takes place on the 8th day of the month of Chaitra.