AHMEDABAD, July 7, 2013: This year, citizens will be able to see the lords more clearly as the height of the three chariots of Lord Jagannath, Balram and Subhadra has been increased by 1.25 feet. The change has been made to enable devotees standing farther back to have a look at the lords.

Mahendra Jha, trustee of Jagannathji temple, told the media on Saturday that final touches have been given to the overall preparations. "It is the 136th rath yatra carried out by the temple. It has now become part and parcel of the city's rich tradition of inclusivity and communal harmony. It is the day when the lords come out of the temple to meet the citizens and bless them. The festive fervour thrums in the walled city areas where citizens settled from western areas come to get blessings," he said.

This year, chief minister Narendra Modi will further his record as the chief minister having performed the most pahind rituals. He will clean the path of the lord and give the ceremonial pull to the lord's chariot.

The temple trustees said that on Monday, the trinity will be brought back to the temple, where the devotees will be able to see the ceremony of netrotsav. On Tuesday afternoon, volunteers and devotees will start decorating the chariots for the journey that starts at 7 am on Wednesday. The trustees stated that there are no plans of changing the traditional route as of now. The chariots will travel on the age-old path, traversing areas like Khadia, Kalupur, Saraspur, Dariapur, Shahpur and Manek Chowk.

Source: The Times of India, DT. July 7, 2013.