Thousands of devotees across Manipur celebrated Rath Yatra, locally known as Kang or Kang Chingba, on Thursday with religious fervour, as chariot processions and special prayers were held at temples and localities across the state.
The main celebrations took place at the historic Shree Shree Bijoy Govinda Temple, Shree Shree Govindaji Temple inside the Palace Compound and at the ISKCON Temple on Tiddim Road, where large numbers of devotees gathered to offer prayers and participate in the ceremonial pulling of the chariots carrying Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra.
At the Shree Shree Govindaji Temple, one of the principal venues of the festival, devotees thronged the temple premises from early morning. The massive wooden chariot procession drew thousands of participants who chanted hymns and sang devotional songs accompanied by traditional Sankirtana performances.
Devotees dressed in traditional Manipuri attire, including Innaphi and traditional ornaments, added colour to the celebrations. Religious programmes continued into the evening with Choitep Chongba, a traditional devotional dance performed before the deities, followed by congregational prayers and the distribution of Khechri as prasadam.
Similar Rath Yatra celebrations were organised in temples and localities across the state, where devotees offered prayers seeking peace, prosperity and harmony.
One of the most important festivals of the Meitei Vaishnavite community, Kang commemorates the annual chariot procession of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra. The festival continues to be a symbol of devotion, communal harmony and the enduring Vaishnavite heritage of Manipur.
