Thousands participate in Ahmedabad's Rath Yatra
Ahmedabad's 148th Rath Yatra rolled out from the 400-year-old Jagannath temple, with the Khalasi community pulling the chariots—a tradition going strong for many years.
The festival draws huge crowds every year, and this time is no different, with lakhs of devotees joining in from Gujarat and beyond.
Amit Shah, Bhupendra Patel present at morning prayers
The 16-km route wound through old city hotspots, featuring 18 elephants and a fleet of colorfully decked-out trucks.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah joined early prayers while Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel performed the ceremonial road sweeping before sending off the procession.
Over 24,000 personnel on duty
With up to 15 lakh people expected, security was tight—think nearly 24,000 personnel on duty plus drones, AI-powered surveillance cameras, and watchtowers.
For extra harmony, police held hundreds of meetings with local groups to keep things peaceful.
This isn't just a parade—it's a significant Rath Yatra event.