Jagannath Dev Rath Yatra Puja 2025

Rath Yatra, also known as the Chariot Festival, is a significant Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Jagannath, celebrated with grandeur and devotion, especially in Puri, Odisha. The festival involves a ceremonial procession in which the deities—Lord Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra, and sister Subhadra—are placed on elaborately decorated wooden chariots and pulled by thousands of devotees through the streets.

Rath Yatra Puja begins with traditional rituals and prayers, invoking the blessings of the deities. The idols are ceremonially bathed (a ritual called Snana Purnima), dressed in new clothes, and then placed on the chariots, which symbolize divine vehicles. Devotees perform aarti, chant hymns, and offer flowers, fruits, and sweets to the deities. The pulling of the chariots is considered a highly auspicious act, believed to cleanse sins and bring divine grace.

The festival marks the annual journey of the deities from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple, where they stay for a few days before returning. Rath Yatra Puja not only signifies devotion but also represents the spirit of equality and unity, as people from all backgrounds come together to participate in the divine celebration.