Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration has announced the detailed ritual schedule for the much-anticipated Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra, set to take place in Odisha’s Pilgrim City of Puri on Thursday (July 16).
This iconic festival draws lakhs of devotees to the seaside city, where the deities embark on their annual journey from the 12th-century Shree Jagannath Temple to Gundicha Temple, covering approximately 2.6 km. It holds profound spiritual significance, allowing devotees from all walks of life to participate in pulling the majestic wooden chariots—Nandighosa (Lord Jagannath), Taladhwaja (Lord Balabhadra), and Darpadalana (Devi Subhadra).
The day’s sacred proceedings will commence early with Mangal Alati at 6 am, followed by a series of traditional rituals inside the temple, including Mailam and Tadap Lagi (6:10–6:30 am), Rosha Homa at 6:30 am, Abakasha at 7 am, Surya Puja at 7:10 am, and Dwarapala Puja along with Besha Sesha at 7:30 am.
Devotees can expect Gopal Ballav and Sakala Dhupa (Khechudi Bhoga) between 8 am and 9 am, leading into Rath Pratishtha at 9 am. The ceremonial Pahandi procession, during which the deities are brought out to their respective chariots, is scheduled from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. Subsequent rituals include Madanmohan Bije (12:30–1:00 pm), Chitalagi (1:30–2:00 pm), and Besha Sesha (1:30–2:30 pm).
The Chhera Pahanra, the ceremonial sweeping of the chariots by titular King of Puri Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deba, will take place between 2 pm and 3 pm. This will be followed by Chara Phita and Ghoda Sarathi Lagi from 3 pm to 4 pm. The grand chariot-pulling is slated to begin at 4 pm, marking the start of the deities’ journey.
Temple authorities have appealed to devotees to adhere strictly to the schedule and cooperate with security personnel for the smooth conduct of the event. With massive crowds expected, authorities have ramped up security and crowd management measures.
According to ADG Soumendra Priyadarshi, who has been assigned responsibility of overseeing arrangements for Rath Yatra, 13,500 police officials have been deployed and the entire city is under surveillance of over 450 CCTVs. “We have established an integrated command and control centre, and more than 450 CCTV cameras are monitoring the city… We have made the Puri Police chatbot and mobile application available to the public. Furthermore, information will be displayed on LED screens at 65 locations. We have coordinated with the Bhubaneswar Smart City authorities to ensure information reaches people there as well. Comprehensive arrangements and rehearsals have been conducted for railway security. These measures are being implemented through coordination between the RPF and the Government Railway Police, with specific focus on managing the massive crowds that gather on platforms after Rath Yatra concludes; barricading and personnel deployment have been organised accordingly. We have coordinated with the Coast Guard and the Indian Navy to ensure Coast Guard patrol ships monitor the Puri coast throughout Rath Yatra,” he said.
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The ADG further noted that dewatering pumps have been installed and water already cleared from some sites since this morning. Puri has been experiencing very heavy showers under the influence of a low-pressure area over northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining North Odisha-West Bengal coasts. Heavy rain may continue in the city on the Rath Yatra day, according to the India Meteorological Department.
The return Bahuda Yatra is scheduled for July 24, followed by the Suna Besha on July 25.
