Hundreds of Hindus gathered to celebrate Jagannath Rath Yatra in Muslim-majority Pakistan last month, and videos of the gathering have since gone viral on social media.
Rath Yatra is a significant Hindu festival celebrated primarily in the Indian state of Odisha. The festival is particularly famous for its association with Lord Jagannath, who is considered to be a form of Lord Vishnu or Krishna. Each year, thousands of devotees gather to pull the chariots on which are placed the deities of Jagannath, along with his siblings Balabhadra and Subhadra.
While the Rath Yatra of Puri is famous, many social media users were surprised to learn that Pakistani Hindus also take out a Rath Yatra in the Muslim-majority nation.
An Instagram user named Vikash shared several videos from the Yatra which show a throng of devotees singing bhajans and pulling a chariot decorated elaborately with flowers. Pakistani flags can be seen fluttering in the air during the Yatra, and chilled bottles of water were handed out to devotees.
Take a look at his videos below:
According to the Instagram Reels, the Rath Yatra programme was organised in Karachi, the capital of Sindh and the largest city in Pakistan.
{{/usCountry}}According to the Instagram Reels, the Rath Yatra programme was organised in Karachi, the capital of Sindh and the largest city in Pakistan.
{{/usCountry}}The videos have gone viral with millions of views and thousands of comments - many of them from people who were surprised to learn of Hindus in Pakistan.
“Thanks for showing this side of Pakistan,” wrote one Instagram user. “This is our Karachi. Respect,” said another. “As an Indian Muslim, this made my heart happy,” one person commented.
Hinduism, in fact, forms the second largest religion in Pakistan after Islam. According to the 2023 Pakistani Census, Hindus account for just 2.17% of Pakistan's population and are mainly concentrated in Sindh. Christians form the third-largest religious demographic at 1.37%.