Rajshahi Correspondent: Members of the Hindu community began celebration of their major religious festivals "Ratha Yatra" with due religious fervour and festivity here today.
 
Thousands of Hindu devotees gathered at selected places and joined with full enthusiasm the ritual of pulling chariots to celebrate the occasion.
 
Old and young, male and female, boys and girls together joined the ritual amidst much fanfare.
 
The main Ratha Yatra programme in the metropolis was held in Alupatty area in the city while the district programme was held in Khetur Gourangabari area under Godagari upazila.
 
The main journey of Jagannath Dev was brought out from rathbari to the city's Alupatty crossing Sunday afternoon which paraded several city streets with a festive mode.
 
Professor Shafiqur Rahman, MP, former Bagmara Upazila Chairman Anil Kumar Sarker and Members of Hindu Buddhist Welfare Trust joined the rally.
 
Thousands of Hindu community members including female and children joined in pulling the raths (chariot) by long ropes through various city streets.
 
The participants attired in traditional Hindu costumes beat drums and played other musical instruments and walked along the streets.
 
A large number of onlookers' of various creeds and cast were seen witnessing the colourful Ratha Yatra on both sides of the road.
 
As part of the festival, a huge 'Rather Mela' is also being held on the three-kilometer Kalpona hall crossing to Seroil bus terminal with the participation of a large number of shops displaying various traditional and handicraft items like furniture, handicrafts, toys and sweetmeat.
 
A huge crowd was seen thronging the fair throughout the day.
 
Hundreds of devotees from different parts of the district as well as from neighboring areas assembled here to observe the century-old Ratha Yatra festival of the Hindu community.
 
Members of different law enforcement agencies tightened up security measures averting any untoward incident for the sake of ensuring communal harmony on the occasion.

Biniyougbarta/GK/SAM//