Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik held discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday over organising Lord Jagannath’s Ratha Jatra in Puri this year, as the centuries-old religious event plunged into uncertainty following the COVID-19 outbreak.
“The chief minister spoke to the prime minister over the phone on Friday morning and discussed about organising the annual Ratha Jatra of Lord Jagannath,” a source in the Chief Minister’s Office.
“They discussed how to maintain social distancing when a large number of people will gather in the pilgrim town for the Ratha Jatra celebrations,” they added.
The festival is scheduled for June 23 this year.