DH Web Desk
The Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri, Odisha, began on Friday, June 27, 2025, with the chariots of Lord Jagannath and his siblings, Balabhadra and Subhadra, being pulled by devotees.
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The festival, which is one of the most significant Hindu festivals, involves a procession of the deities from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple.
Credit: PTI
The day began with temple rituals at 9:00 am, and the grand chariot procession is scheduled to commence at 2:30 pm.
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To allow thousands of pilgrims to witness and participate in the grand event, the chariots will move slowly, taking almost two hours to travel the one-kilometre route.
Credit: PTI
The iconic chariot festival reportedly welcomes over 30 lakh devotees, with extensive planning, vibrant spiritual energy, and well-coordinated crowd management efforts.
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The town is under tight security with nearly 10,000 personnel stationed, including eight companies from the Central Armed Police Forces.
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More than 275 AI-enabled CCTV cameras now monitor key areas across Puri and the road to Konark, located 35 km away and renowned for its 13th-century Sun Temple.
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Meanwhile, the seaside resort town of Digha in Purba Medinipur district has been fully decked up ahead of the celebrations, adorned with temple-themed cutouts, giant images of deities and illuminations designed by artists from Chandernagore.
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The 180-kilometre national highway connecting Kolkata to the town was adorned with saffron flags bearing Lord Jagannath's image and banners reading 'Welcome to Jagannath Dham'.
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The return journey, known as Bahuda Yatra, is scheduled for July 5, 2025.
Credit: PTI