Bhubaneswar, April 8 -- Bhubaneswar: The famous Rukuna Rath Yatra, the annual chariot festival of Lord Lingaraj in Bhubaneswar, which is scheduled for April 20 this year will be pulled without the participation of devotees in order to prevent social gathering amid the steep rise in Covid-19 cases in the Capital City of Odisha.

Only the servitors of the shrine, police personnel and district administration officials are allowed to remain present during the chariot festival.

A blueprint detailing the modalities for the festival has been prepared in a meeting chaired by BMC Commissioner Prem Chandra Chaudhary on Thursday. Representatives of the four Nijogs of the shrine, temple committee, police and district administrations and BMC official...