The air in Puri reverberated with the chant of “Jai Jagannath” on Friday as the sibling deities—Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra—were ceremoniously installed on their resplendent wooden chariots, marking the formal commencement of the annual Rath Yatra.
The centuries-old ‘Pahandi’ ritual, which involves a grand procession of the deities from the sanctum sanctorum of the Jagannath Temple to their respective chariots parked at the Lion’s Gate, began an hour later than scheduled but proceeded without disruption. The ritual concluded with the deities now seated upon their chariots, ready to embark on the 2.6-kilometre journey to the Shree Gundicha Temple.
The Pahandi procession began with Chakraraj Sudarshan, the celestial weapon of Lord Vishnu, who was placed on Devi Subhadra’s ‘Darpadalan’ chariot. “Shree Sudarshan is the wheel weapon of Lord Vishnu, who is worshipped in the form of Lord Jagannath in Puri,” said Pandit Suryanarayan Rathsharma.
Lord Balabhadra, the elder sibling, followed next and took his place on the ‘Taladhwaja’ chariot. Devi Subhadra was carried in a unique ‘Sunya Pahandi’ procession—her gaze turned skywards—to her chariot. The final to emerge was Lord Jagannath himself, evoking an outpouring of emotion as devotees raised their arms in reverence and chanted in unison.
The procession, marked by rhythmic drumming, conch blowing and traditional cymbals, was a visual spectacle. Odissi dancers, folk artists, and musicians from across Odisha performed with fervour before the deities, a tribute to the divine siblings. “My life will be fulfilled if the Lord graced to throw a look at me,” said Maitree Maheswari, an Odissi dancer who performed on the Grand Road.
Also read: Lakhs of devotees flock to Puri as Jagannath Rath Yatra begins
The spiritual ceremony was graced by Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Puri MP Sambit Patra and several state ministers. The Shankaracharya of Govardhan Peeth, Swami Nischalananda Saraswati, also visited the chariots with a few disciples, arriving in a wheelchair as per custom.
The Rath Yatra, observed annually on the second day of the bright fortnight in the Odia month of Ashadha, is the only occasion when the deities leave the sanctum of the 12th-century shrine. The descent from the 'Ratna Sinhasana' via the ‘Baisi Pahacha’ (22 steps) is considered a royal event in itself.
This year, the traditional ‘Chhera Pahanra’—the symbolic sweeping of the chariots by the Gajapati King Dibyasingha Deb—is scheduled at 3.30 pm, ahead of the chariot-pulling ceremony at 4 pm.
Meanwhile, the pilgrim town has transformed into a fortress with elaborate security arrangements. Around 10,000 personnel from Odisha Police, Central Armed Police Forces, NSG commandos, and Coast Guard teams have been deployed. Over 275 AI-enabled CCTV cameras monitor the town.
Director General of Police Y B Khurania said, “We have made all possible arrangements for the smooth conduct of Rath Yatra.”
Amid heightened security following the recent Pahalgam terror incident, ADGP (Law and Order) Sanjay Kumar confirmed the deployment of RAF units, canine squads, anti-sabotage teams, drone surveillance, and infrared monitoring systems.
Follow us
