The historic city of Mandi, popularly known as Chhoti Kashi, witnessed an overwhelming display of faith and devotion as the annual Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra was taken out on Thursday evening. The centuries-old religious procession transformed the city into a vibrant centre of spiritual celebration, with hundreds of devotees participating in the event.

The grand Rath Yatra began from the historic Jagannath Temple at Paddal, where the beautifully adorned idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra were ceremonially placed on a decorated chariot. Amid chants of “Jai Jagannath,” devotees pulled the sacred chariot through the city, marking one of Mandi’s most significant religious traditions.

The atmosphere resonated with the sounds of traditional musical instruments such as dhols, nagaras, narsinghas, karnals, and shehnais. The procession passed through the streets of the city as devotees offered prayers, showered flowers on the chariot, and sought the blessings of the deities.

Women devotees added to the devotional fervour by singing bhajans, while the participation of local deities and temple representatives reflected the rich cultural and religious heritage of Mandi.