One of the most celebrated festivals in India is Rath Yatra (to be held on the 16th of July 2026). As the day draws near, I can’t help but delve into the spiritual journey of an age-old tradition steeped in faith and observed by most states in India. The main festival is held in the sleepy seaside town of Puri (also called Purushottam Dham), situated in the eastern state of Odisha, which transforms into one of the largest religious gatherings in the world!

Also known as Purushottam (meaning the best among men) Kshetra or Dham in the Puranas because of its association with Lord Vishnu, who first appeared here in the form of Nilamadhav, who is said to be Purushottam. One of the Char Dhams, visiting all of which is believed to help in attaining Nirvana, Puri is where the Lord eats, after bathing in Badrinath, getting dressed in Dwarka before heading to Rameshwaram to rest. Lord Vishnu, who takes several avatars to restore Dharma and protect humanity from evil, is also worshipped as Krishna or Narayana – but in Puri as Lord Jagannath.

Among the various stories that have formulated around the history of Rath Yatra since its inception, the most prevalent ones are

1. The day when Lord Krishna left Gokul with his brother Balaram for Mathura, where Kansa had invited them to kill them separately, is celebrated as Rath Yatra
2. In Dwarka, it is celebrated as the day when Lord Krishna, accompanied by Balaram, took their sister Subhadra for a ride around the city to show its splendour.
3. Another one of the most widespread legends that has passed from generation to generation is how the blind devotion of King Indradyumna and his wife’s impatience led to the celestial architect leaving the idols of Jagannath, Balabhadra/ Balaram and Subhadra incomplete. But Gundicha, Indradyumna’s queen, suggested constructing a temple for the deities, which impressed Jagannath, who promised to visit her house – now the Gundicha temple, 3 kms from Jagannath Temple.

The construction of the three raths starts at least two months before the actual ceremony, with the major component being three species of wood – Phasi, Bhaunra and Asana woods, which used to be exclusively extracted from the ex-princely state of Daspalla forest range, Nayagarh district. After the festival, the woods are dismantled and used in the temple kitchen as firewood to cook prasad for the deities, also offered to at least 30,000 devotees every day. This means construction of the chariots has to start from scratch every year.

There are no written instructions for the craftsman on the construction of the chariots; instead, knowledge is passed orally over generations. Frames and wheels are decorated with colourful designs inspired by Odishan temple architecture. The frames are then covered with intricately embroidered black, green, red, and yellow cloths.

Each chariot is over 40 feet high, and the assemblage begins with the wheel, axle, and then the body. 42 wheels are needed for all the chariots.

Balabhadra / Balaram’s chariot, known as Taladhwaja after the palm tree on his flag, is 44 ft high with 14 wheels.

Subhadra’s chariot is the smallest, known as Darapadalan, which means trampler of pride, and is decked in black and red cloth and is 43 ft high and has 12 wheels.

Lord Jagannath’s chariot, decked in red and yellow cloth called Nandigosha, is the tallest – 45 ft high and 16 wheels.

• Nabakalebar – This marks the symbolic cycle of death and rebirth and is represented by replacing the old wooden idols with new ones, and this happens every 8, 12, or 19 years.
• Snan Purnima – Starts with Snan Purnima, bathing the deities with 108 pitchers of water. After the bath, the gods fall ill and take 15 days to recover, during which the main temple remains closed.
• Pahandi – On the day of the main event, the deities are brought out of their home in an elaborate ritual called Pahandi around noon.
• Chhera Panhara – This is the ritual performed by the monarchy – Gajapati Maharaj in which, after the deities are boarded to their respective chariots, Gajapati Maharaj is brought in a ceremonial palanquin to mop the floor around the throne of the chariots with a golden broom. This could be because back in the 12th century, the emperors of Odisha had declared themselves servants of Lord Jagannath.
• Pulling of the chariots – This is where the fun starts when each chariot is tied with four wooden idols of horses and after the kahali is blown, chariots attached to four, 8-inch-in-diameter thick ropes made of coconut fibre, nearly 250 ft long, start the journey.

The significance of any festival depends heavily on the faith of the people. Due to the lack of prescriptive tenets in our culture, people from different backgrounds discern a certain ritual in myriad ways. To some, Rath Yatra might just be Lord Jagannath’s desire to go on his annual outing with his siblings; to some, it might be the Lord’s desire to descend on Earth to oversee the well-being of his land and people. And to some, He might be the Absolute soul, who transcends time and space, believing in tolerance and social acceptance, He who is the perfect man beyond the pale of societal intolerance, caste, and creed – all are equal in his eyes!

July 16, 2026

Although celebrated in several Indian states, Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, is globally known as the place one should visit during Rath Yatra.

The closest airport to Jagannath Puri is Biju Patnaik International Airport (BBI) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, which is 60 km away from the holy city. You can head there either in a pre-paid taxi or book a cab.

Several long-distance trains stop at Puri Railway Station. From there it’s hardly a 5-min drive.

It is best to stay in neighbourhoods surrounding Jagannath Temple, which are Grand Road (Bada Danda), Bali Sahi, and Dolamandap Sahi. Being within 500 meters of the temple, these areas offer quick and easy access to the devotees.

• Boat ride in Chilika Lake. If Lady Luck is smiling on you, then you might spot a leaping dolphin.
• Relax at the eco-certified Golden Beach.
• Explore the UNESCO Heritage Site of Konark Sun Temple.
• Visit the heritage art village of Raghurajpur Artist Village, home to artisans who specialize in traditional Pattachitra paintings, palm-leaf engravings, and papier-mâché.

The state of Odisha (formerly Orissa) is globally famous for the Rath Yatra.

Lord Jagannath is revered as an incarnation of Lord Krishna

Non-Hindus, foreigners, and those of Abrahamic faiths (such as Christians and Muslims) are strictly prohibited from entering.

Lord Jagannath’s wife is Goddess Lakshmi

The 500-year-old tree associated with the Jagannath Temple in Puri is the Siddha Bakul

No, ripped or torn jeans are strictly banned at the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri. Additionally, any overly revealing or western outfits, including shorts, half-pants, skirts, and sleeveless dresses, are prohibited.

Every 12 to 19 years, an extraordinary and highly secretive ritual called Nabakalebara takes place at the Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha. During this rare event, the old wooden idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra, and Sudarshana are ceremoniously buried, and new ones are meticulously carved from specially selected neem trees known as Daru Brahma.

My first experience of Rath Yatra was going to watch the Yatra as it passed by my house, holding my mom’s hand, expecting a packet of prasad to come flying my way. As I looked at everyone with big, expectant eyes, nothing flew my way. After a while, I saw a priest looking at me and calling my mom to offer a packet of prasad, and after handing it over, asking one of the volunteers to move aside so that I could touch the big, thick rope!! I still remember that feeling of pride swelling inside, and how could I not be!

To every child in every house, Rath Yatra means a waist-high rath (or sometimes taller) and parents provide one, irrespective of which social strata they belong to – privileged or impoverished; what matters is having a rath, adorned with fake or real flowers, a tiny plate with sweet offerings to the Gods, and proudly showing off their accomplishments and having fun pulling the miniature rath!!! That has always been the beauty of Rath Yatra and a culture that needs to be relished, cherished, and preserved!