The Rath Yatra of Puri is one of the oldest and largest festivals in the world. On the second day of the bright half of Ashadha, usually in June or July, Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Balabhadra and his sister Subhadra leave the Jagannath Temple and are pulled through the Bada Danda, the grand road, on three enormous wooden chariots to the Gundicha Temple, about three kilometres away.
The three chariots
New chariots are built every year from wood, starting on Akshaya Tritiya, by hereditary carpenters, without written plans.
- Nandighosa: Jagannath’s chariot, 16 wheels, covered in red and yellow.
- Taladhwaja: Balabhadra’s chariot, 14 wheels, red and green.
- Darpadalana: Subhadra’s chariot, 12 wheels, red and black.
The rituals
- Snana Purnima: about two weeks before, the deities are given a grand bath and then rest out of public view (anasara) to “recover”.
- Pahandi: on the day, the deities are carried to the chariots in a swaying procession to the sound of gongs and conches.
- Chhera Pahanra: the Gajapati king of Puri sweeps the chariots with a gold-handled broom — a symbol that before God, everyone is a servant.
- Pulling the chariots: lakhs of devotees pull the ropes; touching them is considered a blessing.
- Bahuda Yatra: after about nine days at the Gundicha Temple, the deities return home, and are dressed in gold ornaments (Suna Besha) on the chariots.
Beyond Puri
Rath Yatras are held in Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Ranchi and in hundreds of towns across India, and ISKCON has taken the festival to cities around the world.
What to wear
- Odisha’s own weaves: Sambalpuri, Bomkai and Khandua — Khandua silk is the fabric traditionally offered to Jagannath.
- Jagannath’s colours: red, yellow, black and white.
- Practical: it is monsoon season and the crowds are huge — wear light cotton that dries fast, and comfortable footwear (or none, as many devotees do).
See our monsoon season collection.
Jai Jagannath!
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