Rain fails to dampen fervour as lakhs gather in Puri for Jagannath Rath Yatra

Published 16 July 2026 · india

Amid relentless monsoon showers, chants of "Jai Jagannath" echoed across Puri on Thursday as the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi

Amid relentless monsoon showers, chants of "Jai Jagannath" echoed across Puri on Thursday as the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra commenced, drawing lakhs of devotees from across India and abroad to one of the world's largest and oldest religious processions. Nearly two lakh pilgrims had already arrived in the holy town ahead of the festival, prompting authorities to put in place elaborate security, traffic and crowd-management arrangements. The enhanced security measures come a year after a stampede near the Shree Gundicha Temple claimed three lives and left several others injured during the Rath Yatra. Chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra in Puri. (PTI Photo) Read Full Story Braving heavy rain, thousands of devotees lined the 2.6-km ceremonial route from the early hours, eagerly waiting for the sacred Pahandi ritual.

During the ceremony, the sibling deities are brought out of the 12th-century Jagannath Temple and placed on their towering wooden chariots. #WATCH | Odisha | Nandighosha, Darpadalana, and Taladhwaja - the three chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra at Singhadwara of Puri Jagannath temple for the Rath Yatra, which begins today. pic.twitter.com/9cKdLG8BBR— ANI (@ANI) July 16, 2026 The deities then begin their annual journey to the Shree Gundicha Temple, revered as their birthplace, marking the commencement of the world-famous Rath Yatra. According to the festival schedule, the Pahandi ritual was held between 9 am and 1 pm. Following the ceremonial Chhera Pahanra, during which Puri's titular king, Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, symbolically swept the chariots with a golden broom, the majestic chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra will begin rolling at 4 pm.

Beyond Puri, the Jagannath Rath Yatra is also celebrated with equal religious fervour across several states, including Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, drawing large crowds of devotees who participate in ceremonial chariot processions and prayers. People pull chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra on the occasion of the Rath Yatra festival in Ahmedabad. (PTI Photo) The customary visit of Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati also took place before the chariots commenced their journey, temple officials said. A multi-layered security cover has been thrown around the coastal town, with nearly 13,000 personnel from the Odisha Police, central armed forces, the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard deployed. Authorities said surveillance, traffic regulation, emergency response and crowd control have been significantly strengthened to manage the massive turnout of devotees.