Lakhs of devotees throng the holy city as Lord Balabhadra’s chariot begins its journey to Gundicha Temple; elaborate security and crowd management measures remain in place.
Puri: The annual Jagannath Rath Yatra is being celebrated with immense religious fervour in Odisha’s holy city of Puri on Thursday, with lakhs of devotees from across India and abroad participating in the world-famous chariot festival amid unprecedented security arrangements.
The pulling of Lord Balabhadra’s Taladhwaja chariot began on Thursday afternoon after the completion of all key rituals, including the ceremonial Chhera Pahanra performed by Gajapati Maharaja Divyasingha Deb.
Devotees lined the Grand Road (Bada Danda), chanting “Jai Jagannath” as the massive wooden chariot started its journey towards the Shree Gundicha Temple. The chariots of Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath followed the chariot of their elder brother in the traditional sequence.
The festival also witnessed the presence of several top dignitaries in Puri, reflecting the significance of the annual celebration. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy Chief Ministers Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, several state ministers, senior bureaucrats and top police officials were in the pilgrim town to oversee arrangements and participate in the rituals.
Earlier in the day, the CM inaugurated a distribution centre for the traditional ‘Tanka Torani’ near the Singhadwara of the Shree Jagannath Temple and personally served the refreshing traditional drink to devotees arriving for the Rath Yatra.
The centuries-old Festival of Chariots marks the ceremonial journey of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra from the Shree Jagannath Temple to the Shree Gundicha Temple. During the annual festival, the sibling deities emerge from the temple sanctum to bless devotees in a rare public procession, allowing millions to have darshan of the deities.
The day’s rituals began with the sacred Pahandi procession, during which the deities were ceremonially carried from the sanctum sanctorum to their respective chariots amid the blowing of conch shells, beating of gongs, and chants of devotion.
Earlier, the Ajnamala, symbolising the deities’ divine command to commence the journey, was brought to the chariots positioned outside the Singhadwara of the temple.
The week-long festival will continue with a series of traditional rituals. Hera Panchami will be observed on July 20, followed by the Bahuda Yatra (return car festival) on July 24. The deities will adorn the golden attire during Suna Besha on July 25, followed by Adhara Pana on July 26 and Niladri Bije on July 27, marking their return to the Jagannath Temple.
The Odisha government has deployed one of the largest security arrangements for the annual festival. Director General of Police Yogesh Bahadur Khurania had earlier announced the deployment of 19 IPS officers and nearly 13,000 police personnel across Puri.
Fifteen companies of Central Armed Police Forces, including the CRPF, BSF, RAF and NSG, have also been stationed at strategic locations. Advanced surveillance systems, drones, AI-enabled CCTV cameras, integrated traffic management and emergency response teams have been pressed into service to ensure the smooth conduct of the festival.
In the run-up to the Rath Yatra, Odisha Police conducted extensive mock drills, dummy chariot-dragging rehearsals and lifeguard briefings to strengthen crowd management, emergency response and inter-agency coordination. Authorities also created additional parking facilities, reinforced traffic regulations, and established control rooms to handle the expected surge of pilgrims.
Despite intermittent monsoon showers, devotees continued to gather in large numbers along the Grand Road to witness the sacred spectacle. Officials said elaborate arrangements had been made to prevent waterlogging and facilitate the smooth movement of pilgrims and chariots.
However, according to media reports, a stampede-like situation during the festival led to the death of one devotee, while more than 100 others reportedly fainted and required medical attention. Authorities have intensified crowd-control and emergency-response measures as the procession continues.
