People pull the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra during the annual Rath Yatra at the Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, on Friday, June 27. PTI
Rath Yatra LIVE: Over 500 people hospitalised after 'chaos' during chariot-pulling
Around 1 million devotees are estimated to have converged on Puri for the annual car festival
Thousands of people pulled the ropes attached with chariots of Lord Jagannath and his siblings on a road from near the 12th-century shrine in Puri towards Shree Gundicha temple, around 2.6 km away, as the main part of Rath Yatra festival began on Friday (June 27).
Amid chanting of “Jai Jagannath” and “Hari Bol”, beating of cymbals and blowing of trumpets and conch shells, 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'.
1 million devotees converge
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. While thousands of people pulled chariots, lakhs of others also reached the seaside temple town to participate in the festival.
Around 1 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.
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.
Scores witness ‘Pahandi’ ritual
Earlier, the trinity- Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath had ascended their respective chariots after over two-hour long ceremonial 'Pahandi' ritual here on Friday.
During 'Pahandi', the three wooden idols were carried to the chariots from the 12th-century Jagannath temple. 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.
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.
Unprecedented security
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.
"We have made all possible arrangements for smooth conduct of Rath Yatra," DGP YB Khurania told reporters, adding that over 275 AI-enabled CCTV cameras were installed to keep a watch on the crowd.
ADGP (Law and Order) Sanjay Kumar said that the arrangements are made in view of some information following the Pahalgam terror attack.
"Several central government agencies are collaborating with Odisha Police, including NSG snipers, Coast Guard drones, and anti-drone systems. Canine teams and Odisha's anti-sabotage units are also engaged in duty here," he said.
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Live Updates
- 27 Jun 2025 3:45 PM IST
Mamata inaugurates first Rath Yatra from new Jagannath temple in Digha
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday inaugurated the first Rath Yatra from the newly constructed Jagannath temple in the coastal town of Digha.
Amid the chants of 'Jai Jagannath' by thousands of pilgrims, including foreigners, the CM, along with her cabinet colleagues, pulled the ropes of the chariots of Lord Jagannath and his two siblings Balabhadra and Subhadra this afternoon.
She appealed through a public address system that the devotees could touch the ropes of all three chariots from inside the barricades along the 750-metre procession from the main temple to the sibling deities' aunt's place.
- 27 Jun 2025 3:44 PM IST
Curbs on Rath Yatra participation in Digha evoke mixed response from devotees
The West Bengal government’s decision to barricade the nearly one-km Rath Yatra route and stop people from spilling onto the street, evoked mixed response from thousands of devotees, who have congregated in this coastal town of Purba Medinipur district.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is in Digha to oversee preparations and participate in the first-ever Rath Yatra on Friday from the recently inaugurated ‘Jagannath Dham’, had earlier announced that people standing behind the barricades will get the opportunity to touch the chariot ropes, without straying on the road to avoid chaos.
- 27 Jun 2025 3:07 PM IST
'Chhera Pahanra' ritual underway
The Gajapati Maharaja of Puri, Divyasingha Deb, on Friday performed the 'Chhera Pahanra' ritual of sweeping the floors of the chariots of Lord Jagannath and his two siblings before the pulling of the chariots by devotees.
Clad in a spotless white attire and carried in a silver-plated palanquin, the titular king of Puri reached the chariots. He then climbed the chariots and swept the floors of the chariots using a broom with a golden handle, as priests chanted Sanskrit slokas and sprinkled flowers and fragrant water.
Gajapati Maharaja is considered as the first servitor of Lord Jagannath and therefore he performs the 'Chhera Pahanra' ritual, which is also part of the 'Rajaniti' (royal ritual).
According to traditions, the titular king of Puri is informed about the deities having taken their places on the chariots through a messenger specially deputed by the temple officials.
As per the temple records, the emperors of Orissa, beginning with Anantvarman Chodagangadeva in the 12th century, had declared themselves to be the "Rauta" (servant) of Lord Jagannath and ruled the land as his representative.
After cleaning of the chariots or 'Chhera Pahanra' by the titular king and his departure to the palace, the wooden horses -- painted in brown (For Devi Subhadra chariot), black (Lord Balabhadra) and white (Lord Jagannth chariot) -- are fixed to the three chariots and pulled by devotees.
The ritual of a Maharaja sweeping the chariots gives a message that all are equal before the Lord, said Bhaskar Mishra, a researcher in the Jagannath cult.
