Puri Rath Yatra Wednesday July 10,2013

The Annual Ratha Yatra (chariot procession) of Lord Jagannath, his brother Bhalabhadra and sister Subhadra began at Odisha's beach town of Puri amid tight security on Wednesday July 10,2013

The ceremonial procession of the deities known as Pahandi - carrying the deities out of the temple to the chariots - started at 9.45 a.m

The festival marks the annual journey of the three deities from the 12th century Jagannath temple in three splendidly decorated wooden chariots, pulled by devotees, to the Gundicha temple, around three km away.

The festival ends 9 days later when the deities make their way back home to the Jagannath temple. The return journey, known as Bahuda Jatra, will be held on July 19,2013

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi performed the 'Pahind Vidhi' (symbolic cleaning of the path for chariot of Lord Jagannath) for the 136th Lord Jagannath rath yatra, which began here on the morning of July 10,2013