Puri bustles with life during Jagannath Rath Yatra 2025 as the monsoon winds sweep across Odisha. One of the ancient festivals that celebrate Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra, it turns Puri into a kaleidoscopic display of devotion. Millions gather to pull enormous wooden chariots through the congested streets, exclaiming the name of “Jai Jagannath!” in unison.
Yatra is a great commemoration of the tradition, unity, and faith. In 2025, it will shine brightly. These are moments filled with sacred races, scratched chariots in sweat, while the rest of the month was filled by families planning their pilgrimage.
Jagannath Rath Yatra News
Odisha’s sacred pulse, Jagannath Rath Yatra, will attract tens of millions of devotees to Puri in 2025. Imagine ornate, colourfully adorned chariots being drawn down crowded thoroughfares, being pulled by ropes held by thousands of hands, held together by faith. It is not a ritual but a crazed spillover of faith that is intertwined with culture, music, and brotherhood. Operations are in top gear, with the state government making preparations for comfortable logistics and cultural celebrations to greet the pilgrims and tourists.
Jagannath Rath Yatra Latest News
The Odisha government is going all out for a glitch-free 2025 festival. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi recently inspected the preparations made, from a new command centre to manage the throngs to improved medical and transport facilities. Having experienced mini-celebrations over the years of the pandemic, this year will see its grand revival in all its glory, with environment-friendly measures like garbage disposal at its command. ISKCON temples across the globe, from Delhi to Dublin, are organising their own Yatra processions as well, spreading the spirit of the festival to the remotest corners of the globe.
Jagannath Rath Yatra 2025 Date
Mark June 27, 2025, as the grand procession of Jagannath Rath Yatra, beginning from Dwitiya Tithi of Shukla Paksha of Ashadha month. The festival concludes with the Bahuda Yatra on July 5. It begins with Snana Purnima on June 12, when the gods are bathed, and a fortnight of Anavasara rest from June 13–26. The grand moment is when the gods are carried out from Jagannath Temple to Gundicha Temple, rituals such as Hera Panchami bringing colour to it.
Why Rath Yatra Is Celebrated
Rath Yatra celebrates the ride of Lord Jagannath along with his brothers to Gundicha Temple, symbolising divine love and equality. Anyone can pull the ropes or have the darshan, dissolving social barriers. The Chhera Panhara ritual, where the Puri King removes filth from the chariots, embodies humility. People feel that participating in it results in spiritual cleansing, making the Yatra an extremely personal but collective act of worship.
Jagannath Rath Yatra Update
This year, the chariot movement has increased on the roads, and digital ticketing for darshan at the temple has been launched. Volunteers will facilitate foreigners, and cultural activities such as Odissi dance will create a festive ambience. Eco-friendly measures such as the avoidance of single-use plastics are a sign of a contemporary touch to this heritage festival.
The biggest Rath Yatra in the World
Puri’s Rath Yatra reigns as the world’s largest chariot festival. Its massive chariots, millions of devotees, and centuries-old legacy are unmatched. While ISKCON’s global Yatras spread the love, Puri remains the spiritual core, its streets alive with devotion.
Jagannath Rath Name
The chariots have the names carrying reverence: Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosha (16 wheels), Lord Balabhadra’s Taladhwaja (14 wheels), and Goddess Subhadra’s Darpadalana (12 wheels). Brightly painted, the chariots are embodiments of divine artistry, carrying the gods and the hearts of the devotees through the sacred streets of Puri.
FAQs
Why is Jagannath Rath Yatra celebrated?
It is said that Queen Gundicha used to request the king to arrange this festival so that poor untouchables and sinners, who are generally not admitted inside the temple, may have the Darshan of Lord Jagannath in His Ratha and attain salvation.
What happens every 12 years in Jagannath Puri?
The Nabakalebara ceremony is held at different intervals of eight, twelve, or nineteen years in Jagannath Temple, Puri, when new wooden images of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra, and Sudarshana are placed in their respective positions.
For how many days is the Puri Rath Yatra celebrated?
Rath Yatra at Puri is celebrated for nine days.
Why is Jagannath Rath Yatra celebrated?
It is said that the queen Gundicha requested the king to celebrate this festival so that poor untouchables and sinners, who are generally not allowed inside the temple, can see God.
What is the myth of Rath Yatra?
The Rath Yatra, or Chariot Festival, commemorates Lord Jagannath’s annual journey from the Jagannath Temple in Puri to the Gundicha Temple, believed to be his aunt’s place.
