Bhubaneswar: As the state is gearing up to celebrate ‘Rath Yatra’, Zee Sarthak has launched a heartfelt initiative, ‘Aasthara Yatra’, giving devotees who cannot make it to Puri an opportunity to send their prayers and coconuts to Lord Jagannath in Puri.
With the emotional campaign message, “Shraddhare Badhei Deli Nadia, Bhuja Badhei Neba Kalia” (I offer my coconut with devotion, may Lord Kalia accept it with open arms), the campaign is set to bridge the gap between devotees who are unable to travel to Puri for the annual ‘Rath Yatra’ and the revered Jagannath Temple.
A household name in promoting Odisha’s rich cultural heritage, Zee Sarthak has consistently celebrated festivals such as ‘Rath Yatra’, ‘Raja’ and ‘Nuakhai’ through its special programmes, fiction shows and reality entertainment. With ‘Aasthara Yatra’, the channel is taking another meaningful step to keep the timeless Jagannath tradition alive and strengthen the state’s cultural fabric.
The campaign will run from July 11 to July 19, during which a specially designed ‘Rath Yatra Van’ will travel the length and breadth of Odisha, stopping in towns and villages to collect coconuts from devotees as symbols of their unwavering faith. The offerings, along with the prayers and heartfelt wishes of devotees, will then be carried to Puri and ceremonially presented before Lord Jagannath.
The initiative has already garnered support from several popular Ollywood and television personalities, including Lipi, Mantu, Satyajit, Sujit, Anisha, Smrutirekha, Ranjan, Sambhav and Ankita, who have joined the campaign by offering coconuts as a mark of their devotion.
Inviting people across Odisha to join the campaign, Zee Sarthak’s Chief Channel Officer, Rahul Rao, urged devotees to offer a coconut to the ‘Rath Yatra Van’ when it reaches their locality. He said the channel hopes to serve as a bridge between devotees and the Holy Trinity, ensuring that even those who are unable to visit Puri can remain spiritually connected to one of Odisha’s most cherished festivals.
