Puri, June 11 -- Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday participated in the Pahandi rituals and Snana Utsav of Lord Jagannath in Puri, marking his presence at key religious ceremonies ahead of the annual Rath Yatra festival.

The Pahandi rituals, considered a vital component of the Rath Yatra, involve the ceremonial procession of the deities--Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra--from the sanctum sanctorum of the Jagannath Temple to their respective chariots. The elaborate ritual accompanies traditional chants, gongs, and conches as the deities are brought out grandly and reverentially.

Meanwhile, the construction of Lord Jagannath's chariot for the annual Rath Yatra festival commenced in Puri, Odisha. The wo...