The monsoon, considered vital for agriculture, hit Jharkhand today on the occasion of the Lord Jagannath Chariot festival, providing relief to people, especially farmers, from the current heat conditions.

As clouds, lightning, and rains poured, hundreds of devotees of Bhagwan Jagannath pulled the chariot in Dhurwa and other parts of Ranchi and its adjoining areas of the state. “ We really enjoyed the departure of summer heat and welcomed monsoon rains”, giggled a devotee.

The monsoon reached Ranchi via Sahibganj district in the northeast part of the state on June 12, but it proceeded towards Ranchi after conditions became favourable.

As a result, the mercury level which hovered around 40 degrees Celsius in the last few days, dropped to 34-24 degrees Celsius.