Bhubaneswar: A sea of devotees has descended upon Puri as the sacred Jagannath Rath Yatra — also called Shree Gundicha Yatra or the Festival of Chariots — is set to begin this Friday. This deeply revered annual event in Odisha draws pilgrims from across India and the globe.
Held on the second day (Dwitiya Tithi) of the waxing moon phase in the lunar month, the occasion is believed to carry great spiritual significance due to the moon’s increasing radiance.
Renowned Jagannath scholar Suryanarayan Rath Sharma remarked, “The Rath Yatra is the oldest known chariot procession in the world. According to belief, witnessing Lord Jagannath during this journey can lead a devotee to moksha (liberation).”
The festival sees Lord Jagannath, along with his siblings Balabhadra and Subhadra, taken on a nine-day ceremonial journey from the famed 12th-century temple to the Gundicha Temple — a site some legends say marks their birthplace.
With intense devotion, followers pull the three majestic chariots — Nandighosh for Jagannath, Taladhwaja for Balabhadra, and Darpadalan for Subhadra — over a 3 km route.
To ensure the festivities go smoothly, the Odisha government has put in place comprehensive arrangements. Puri Collector Sidharth Shankar Swain said that all preparations and rituals have been thoroughly coordinated, and urged devotees to support a peaceful celebration.
A five-layer security system has been established, deploying 200 police platoons, eight central paramilitary units, and 10,000 personnel including police, CAPF, and Home Guards.
Advanced surveillance with 275 AI-enabled CCTV cameras will monitor crowd and traffic through a centralized control system for the first time.