Puri Rath Yatra 2025: Lakhs brave torrential rain as Jagannath chariot festival begins
Synopsis
Even torrential rain could not thin the crowds on Bada Danda. With the Pahandi Bije running over two hours behind schedule and 13,000-plus police on the ground, the 2025 Puri Rath Yatra unfolded as both a massive act of collective faith and a formidable logistical operation — one that the Odisha administration had to manage in the middle of a downpour.
Key Takeaways
The Jagannath Rath Yatra commenced in Puri, Odisha on 16 July 2025 amid heavy rainfall.
The Pahandi Bije ritual began ahead of schedule but was delayed by more than two hours in completion.
Puri King Gajapati Maharaja Dibya Singha Deb performed the ceremonial golden-broom sweeping of the chariots.
More than 13,000 police personnel and CAPF forces were deployed; 19 senior IPS officers supervised security.
The Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy were placed on coastal alert during the festival.
The deities will spend nine days at the Gundicha Temple before the return Bahuda Yatra .
Lakhs of devotees braved torrential rain to witness the Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri, Odisha, on Thursday, 16 July, as the world-famous chariot festival commenced with the Pahandi Bije ritual — the ceremonial procession of the divine siblings from the 12th-century Shree Jagannath Temple to their decorated chariots. The downpour, far from thinning the crowds, appeared to deepen the fervour, with the Bada Danda (Grand Road) turning into a sea of umbrellas and chants of 'Jai Jagannath' and 'Hari Bol'.
Pahandi Bije: Early Start, Extended Completion
The Pahandi Bije ritual — in which the deities are escorted in a grand ceremonial procession accompanied by traditional instruments including the ghanta (gong), kahali (trumpet), and telingi baja — began ahead of the scheduled time on Thursday. However, the ritual's completion was delayed by more than two hours due to the incessant rain and the scale of the proceedings.
Priests chanted sacred Vedic hymns as traditional Odissi artists performed alongside the procession, welcoming the deities at the outset of their nine-day sojourn to the Gundicha Temple, believed to be their birthplace.
Key Rituals and Dignitaries
Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati, accompanied by his disciples, offered puja to the holy siblings aboard their chariots following the conclusion of the Pahandi ritual. Thereafter, Puri King Gajapati Maharaja Dibya Singha Deb — revered as the first servitor of Lord Jagannath — offered prayers and performed the ceremonial sweeping of the chariots with a golden broom, a centuries-old tradition known as Chhera Panhara.
Security and Crowd Management
Authorities deployed more than 13,000 police personnel, supplemented by Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), to manage security across the festival grounds. 19 senior IPS officers were assigned to supervise the overall security framework. The Indian Coast Guard and the Indian Navy were placed on alert to monitor the coastal route for any unlawful activity.
The district administration, in coordination with the state housing and urban development department, put in place elaborate drainage arrangements to address waterlogging in rain-prone areas of Puri town — a critical logistical challenge given Thursday's heavy rainfall.
What Comes Next
The deities will remain at the Gundicha Temple for several days before the return journey — the Bahuda Yatra — brings them back to the Shree Jagannath Temple. Millions more are expected to line the Bada Danda in the days ahead, making crowd and weather management a continued priority for the administration.
Point of View
Which makes the administration's job uniquely difficult: there is no fallback date, no rain-check option. The two-hour delay in Pahandi Bije completion is a reminder that even a well-prepared state machinery must negotiate the unpredictability of a living religious tradition at this scale. The deployment of the Navy and Coast Guard alongside 13,000 ground personnel signals that Odisha is treating this not just as a cultural event but as a security operation of national significance — a calibration that reflects lessons from past crowd incidents at large Indian religious gatherings.
NationPress
16 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri?
The Jagannath Rath Yatra is an annual chariot festival held in Puri, Odisha, in which the deities Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra are ceremonially transported from the 12th-century Shree Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple on elaborately decorated chariots. It is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, drawing lakhs of devotees each year.
What is the Pahandi Bije ritual?
Pahandi Bije is the ceremonial procession in which the deities are escorted from the Jagannath Temple to their respective chariots on the Bada Danda (Grand Road), accompanied by traditional music, Vedic chanting, and Odissi dance performances. In 2025, the ritual began ahead of schedule but took more than two hours longer than expected to complete.
How many security personnel were deployed for Rath Yatra 2025?
More than 13,000 police personnel were deployed alongside Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), with 19 senior IPS officers overseeing the overall security arrangements. The Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy were also placed on alert to monitor the coastal route.
Who performed the golden-broom ritual at Rath Yatra 2025?
Puri King Gajapati Maharaja Dibya Singha Deb, traditionally regarded as the first servitor of Lord Jagannath, performed the Chhera Panhara — the ceremonial sweeping of the chariots with a golden broom — after offering prayers to the deities.
When will the deities return from the Gundicha Temple?
The deities are set to spend nine days at the Gundicha Temple, believed to be their birthplace, before the return journey — known as the Bahuda Yatra — brings them back to the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri.
