Puri Rath Yatra 2026 LIVE Updates: Pahandi of Lord Jagannath, His Siblings begins

Puri Rath Yatra 2026 Commences at Shree Jagannath Temple

The annual Rath Yatra festival commenced on July 16, 2026, in Puri, Odisha, as the chariots of Lord Jagannath and his siblings began their journey. The festival, which draws lakhs of devotees, involves a series of centuries-old traditions performed at the Shree Jagannath Temple, known as Srimandir, before the chariots begin their onward journey to the Gundicha Temple.

Rath Yatra Procession and Rituals in Puri

The sacred rituals for the world-famous Puri Rath Yatra 2026 began at Srimandir with the morning Dhupa ceremony at the Bhoga Mandap, followed by preparations of the deities and chariots. The Pahandi procession, described as one of the most significant rituals of the event, saw the Holy Trinity—Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra—carried out of the sanctum in a grand ceremonial procession accompanied by the sound of traditional instruments and the chanting of devotees. The deities were placed upon their respective chariots: Nandighosa for Lord Jagannath, Taladhwaja for Lord Balabhadra, and Darpadalana for Devi Subhadra.

Following the Pahandi ceremony, the Gajapati Maharaja performed the revered Chhera Pahanra ritual. During this tradition, the Gajapati Maharaja conducts a symbolic sweeping of the chariots with a golden broom, an act representing humility and devotion before Lord Jagannath. According to tradition, the deities embark on a nine-day annual sojourn from the 12th-century Jagannath Temple to their birthplace, the Gundicha Temple, where they remain until the “Bahuda Yatra” (returning car festival), which is scheduled for July 24, 2026.

Odisha Fire & Emergency Services Rescue 33 Devotees in Puri

Crowd Safety and Emergency Response

The massive influx of pilgrims necessitated extensive security and crowd management arrangements to ensure the safety of the public. The Special Rescue Unit (SRU) of the Odisha Fire & Emergency Services reported that 33 devotees were safely rescued from heavy crowd congestion. These individuals were provided with immediate first aid and oxygen support before being shifted to nearby hospitals for further medical care. Additionally, when a devotee appeared to have fainted amid the large gathering, they were promptly attended to and taken for medical treatment.

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Sri Prasanna Venkateswara Swamy Temple Organizes Visakhapatnam Procession

Regional and Global Celebrations

The festival’s reach extended to Visakhapatnam, where the Sri Prasanna Venkateswara Swamy Temple committee, Saligramapuram, organized a Ratha Yatra on July 16. The procession commenced at 4 p.m. from the temple premises, passing along the Inorbit Mall boundary wall and proceeding via the Port Golden Jubilee Hospital Road toward National Highway-16. The journey concluded at the Port Sri Sita Rama Kalyana Mandapam, where the deities are slated to reside for nine days. The committee also arranged a week-long cultural festival from July 17 to July 23, 2026, featuring daily devotional performances by reputed artists from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Shree Jagannath Society Japan Conducts Chariot Pulling in Tokyo

International commemorations took place in Tokyo, Japan, where approximately 150 people from Odia, Indian, Japanese, and Sri Lankan communities gathered at the Indian embassy. The event was organized by the Shree Jagannath Society Japan (SJS Japan). High-level attendees included Ambassador Nagma Mohamed Mallick, Sri Lankan Ambassador Pivithru Janak Kumarasinghe, Ibaraki Prefectural Assembly member Akio Iizuka, Friends of the United Nations (Asia-Pacific) representative Takahiro Kanamori, and ICIJ president Jagmohan S Chandrani, who performed the ‘chhera pahanra’ ritual. Pandit Munindra Panda conducted the traditional ceremonies.

The deities used in Tokyo were brought from the Ibaraki temple, where their ‘pran pratistha’ had been completed earlier in the year. The chariot, measuring 91cm in length, 91cm wide, and 180cm in height, was crafted in Japan by local carpenter Hirata under the guidance of SJSJ member Pallavi Mishra. Gyanindra Mishra, an SJSJ member, noted, “The ceremonial Rath Yatra took place on the stage of the Vivekananda Culture Centre auditorium at the Embassy of India, Tokyo, where all attendees got an opportunity to participate in chariot-pulling.” A souvenir edited and designed by Pallavi Mishra and Tushar Jena was also released to mark the occasion.

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