Puri/IBNS: Over 500 devotees were injured and several others were critical during the annual Rath Yatra festival in Odisha’s Puri as a sea of crowds flocked to pull the chariot in the city, media reports said.

The incident occurred during the ceremonial pulling of the chariots.

On reports of some people getting unconscious during the Jagannath Rath Yatra, Odisha Minister Mukesh Mahaling told media, "Due to high humidity, one or two devotees collapsed. The rescue teams took them to the hospital immediately."

"There are primary health care centres in the temple area. I am also here to make sure glucose and water are being provided adequately. I will also visit the hospital to make sure that proper healthcare is being provided to those who may need it," he said.

Earlier in the day, thousands of people pulled the ropes attached to chariots of Lord Jagannath and his siblings on a road from near the 12th-century shrine towards Shree Gundicha temple as part of the Rath Yatra festival that began on Friday.

Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, and many other dignitaries were among those who pulled the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra.

Amid chanting of “Jai Jagannath” and “Hari Bol”, the 'Taladwaja' chariot of Lord Balabhadra first started rolling at 4.08 PM.

It was followed by Devi Subhadra’s 'Darpadalan' chariot and finally Lord Jagannath’s 'Nandighosh'.

While the devotees were pulling the chariots, the priests surrounded the deities on the chariots as the procession made its way through the Grand Road of this temple town.

Around one million devotees are estimated to have converged on this town for the annual car festival, officials said.

The chariot pulling started after Puri's titular king, Gajapati Maharaja Divyasingha Deb, performed 'Chhera Pahanra' (sweeping of chariots) on all three chariots. Wooden horses of different colours were fitted on three chariots before they were pulled by the devotees.

Earlier,  Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath had ascended their respective chariots after a two-hour-long ceremonial 'Pahandi' ritual.

During 'Pahandi', the three wooden idols were carried to the chariots from the 12th-century Jagannath temple. Odissi dancers, folk artists, music players and many other groups drawn from different parts of the state performed before the idols.

The Shankaracharya of Govardhan Peeth, Swami Nischalananda Saraswati, along with selected disciples, visited three chariots after the deities were placed on them.

Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Puri MP Sambit Patra, Odisha ministers and many others witnessed the ceremonial Pahandi, one of the major attractions of Rath Yatra in Puri.

The festival is being held amid unprecedented security arrangements with deployment of around 10,000 personnel of Odisha police, central armed police force, NSG and others.