In Pakistan, which has a majority of Muslims, hundreds of Hindus came to commemorate the Jagannath Rath Yatra last month.
In Pakistan, which has a majority of Muslims, hundreds of Hindus came together to celebrate the Jagannath Rath Yatra last month. Videos of the event have now gone popular on social media.
An important Hindu holiday known as Rath Yatra is mostly observed in the Indian state of Odisha. The event is especially well-known for its connection to Lord Jagannath, who is seen as a manifestation of either Krishna or Vishnu. Thousands of worshippers assemble every year to draw the chariots bearing the images of Jagannath and his siblings Subhadra and Balabhadra.
Many social media users were shocked to see that Pakistani Hindus also conduct Rath Yatras in the country with a majority of Muslims, despite the fame of the Rath Yatra in Puri.
A number of videos from the Yatra were posted by an Instagram user going by the handle Vikash. They include a crowd of worshippers singing bhajans and dragging a beautifully painted chariot. Amidst the Yatra, one can witness Pakistani flags flapping in the breeze, while pilgrims were given cold water bottles.
Take a look at his videos below:
The largest city in Pakistan and the capital of Sindh, Karachi, is where the Rath Yatra program was held, based on the Instagram Reels.
With millions of views and hundreds of comments, the films have gone viral. Many of the comments are from individuals who were shocked to find that there are Hindus in Pakistan.
One Instagram user commented, “Thanks for showing this side of Pakistan.” Here we have our Karachi. Etc., remarked someone else. One reader said, “This made my heart happy as an Indian Muslim.”
In actuality, Hinduism is Pakistan’s second most popular religion after Islam. As per the results of the 2023 Pakistani Census, the Hindu population in Pakistan is 2.17% and is mostly centered in Sindh. With 1.37% of the religious population, Christians are the third-largest group.
