People Suffocate & Faint at Jagannath Rath Yatra in Odisha’s Puri, Rushed to Hospital
The annual Jagannath Rath Yatra, a revered Hindu festival, turned into a scene of panic and chaos in Odisha’s Puri on Thursday as some devotees reportedly felt suffocated and fainted due to high humidity. The incident occurred as thousands of people gathered to witness the grand procession of the three chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra.
The Rath Yatra, which is one of the most significant festivals in Hinduism, is celebrated every year in Puri, Odisha. The festival attracts millions of devotees from across the world, who come to pay their respects to Lord Jagannath and seek blessings. However, this year’s celebration turned into a distressing scene as some devotees, overwhelmed by the heat and humidity, started feeling suffocated and fell unconscious.
According to Odisha State Minister Mukesh Mahaling, “Due to high humidity, one or two devotees collapsed. The rescue teams took them to the hospital immediately.” The minister’s statement was corroborated by a video that surfaced on social media, showing ambulances rushing to the incident spot as devotees made way for them to cross.
The video, which has gone viral on social media, shows a sea of devotees gathered along the procession route, with many of them covering their faces and necks with handkerchiefs or scarves to protect themselves from the intense heat and humidity. The atmosphere was chaotic, with people pushing and shoving to get a glimpse of the chariots and the deities.
The Odisha government and the authorities responsible for the festival have been criticized for their handling of the situation. Many have questioned why adequate measures were not taken to ensure the safety and well-being of the devotees, particularly in the face of extreme weather conditions.
The Jagannath Rath Yatra is a three-day festival, which started on Thursday and will conclude on Saturday. The festival is a grand celebration of Hindu mythology, with the deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra being taken out in three decorated chariots, known as the Ratna Simhasan, Taladhwaj, and Nandighosha, respectively.
The festival is considered one of the most revered and sacred events in Hinduism, with devotees from across the world flocking to Puri to participate in the celebration. However, this year’s festival has been marred by the unfortunate incident of devotees feeling suffocated and fainting due to the high humidity.
The authorities have promised to take necessary measures to ensure the safety and well-being of the devotees and have set up medical camps along the procession route. However, the incident has raised concerns about the preparedness and planning of the festival organizers and the authorities responsible for maintaining law and order.
In the wake of the incident, the Odisha government has also announced that it will conduct an inquiry into the matter to identify the causes of the suffocation and take necessary steps to prevent such incidents in the future.
As the festival continues, devotees are advised to take necessary precautions to ensure their safety and well-being. The authorities, too, must take a re-look at their preparedness and planning to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future.
