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Raipur, June 27, 2025: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai today performed the ritual of ‘Chherapahanra’ by sweeping the route with a golden broom to start Rath Yatra at capital city Raipur.
After ‘Chherapahanra’, the Rath Yatra was started from the Jagannath temple with special rituals. Before that the idols of the Lords were brought from the temple to the chariot and the route was cleaned with a golden broom. This tradition is called Chheraapahanraa.
On this occasion, Chief Minister Sai congratulated all the people of the state on the Rath Yatra and said that this festival is as big a festival for Chhattisgarh as it is for Odisha.
Sai said that Lord Jagannath is the protector of the farmers. It is due to His grace that it rains, paddy is produced and prosperity comes to the houses of the farmers. I pray to Lord Jagannath that this year too Chhattisgarh should have a bumper crop.
“I prayed Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra to keep their blessings on all of us and lead us towards peace, prosperity and happiness,” the Chief Minister said.
Sai performed the ritual of Cherapahanra with a golden broom
Chherapahanra is performed traditionally in the Jagannath temple located in the capital. The Chief Minister, while completing the ritual of Cherapahanra, started the Rath Yatra by sweeping the road with a golden broom. After this, he took the idol of Lord Jagannath to the chariot.
Like Odisha Rath Yatra is hugely celebrated in Chhattisgarh
Being a neighboring state of Odisha, this festival has a wide influence in Chhattisgarh as well. In the Rath Yatra taken out today, Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra were worshipped with special rituals.
It is believed that the original place of Lord Jagannath is Seorinarayan of Chhattisgarh, from where he was taken to Jagannath Puri. It was in Seorinarayan that in the Treta Yuga, Lord Shri Ram had accepted the sweet berries offered by Shabri with love. At present, a grand temple of Nar-Narayan is established there.
Governor Ramen Deka and First Lady Rani Deka Kakoti also worshipped Shri Jagannath with due rituals.
