Ahead of Ahmedabad’s 149th Jagannath Rath Yatra, members of the Muslim community continued a long-standing tradition by presenting a silver chariot to the Jagannath Temple on Monday, symbolising communal harmony and brotherhood.
This is the 27th consecutive year that the community has offered the ceremonial chariot to the temple. During the event, Mahant Dilip Dasji welcomed the members of the Muslim community by honouring them with saffron shawls.
The tradition was started by Rauf Bengali to promote peace, unity and mutual respect among communities. This year’s chariot, made of around 300 grams of silver, has been enhanced with 5 grams of gold plating, giving it a more attractive appearance.
The three-horse silver chariot represents devotion to Lord Jagannath while also serving as a symbol of communal harmony and social unity ahead of the annual Rath Yatra.