Puri (Odisha) [India], June 26: The world-renowned Jagannath Rath Yatra is set to begin in Puri on June 27, and preparations are in full swing to accommodate the massive influx of devotees and ensure public safety. Authorities have ramped up traffic management, security measures, and technological interventions to ensure the smooth conduct of the festival.
Additional Director General (ADG) Traffic, Dayal Gangwar, shared key updates, noting the establishment of 21 parking spots and five holding areas to manage heavy crowd flow. “The parking spots are mainly made at three major places,” he said, adding that apps and tech-based services will be utilized this year to provide real-time updates and assist pilgrims.
The Rath Yatra, or Chariot Festival, involves the ceremonial procession of the Holy Trinity—Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra—in three newly constructed massive wooden chariots. The deities are drawn by thousands of devotees from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple, where they stay for a week before returning.
In preparation for the event, a multi-agency mock drill was conducted outside the Shri Jagannath Temple in Dharamshala to test emergency response coordination. Puri SP Vineet Agarwal confirmed that 11 different agencies participated in the anti-terror intervention exercise.
Leading up to the Yatra, the Snana Purnima ritual was observed on June 11, during which the deities were bathed with 108 pitchers of sacred water—a traditional ritual believed to mark the onset of Lord Jagannath’s brief seclusion before the grand procession.
The Rath Yatra, which falls on the second day of Shukla Paksha in June or July, is one of the most significant and spiritually charged festivals in Hindu tradition, drawing millions of devotees from across the world to the coastal city of Puri each year.