Rath Yatra is Puri's biggest festival. Lakhs of people visit to see the three deities ride the giant chariots. It is one of India's most famous religious processions — often called the car festival.
Quick facts
Main date, travel, crowds, and sources — read this block first if you are planning to visit.
What is Rath Yatra?
Every year, on one main day, Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra are placed on three new wooden chariots at Sri Jagannath Temple. Devotees pull the chariots along Bada Danda for about 3 km to Gundicha Temple. The deities stay there for several days. Then Bahuda Yatra brings them back to the main temple.
On the main day, the order is roughly: deities are carried to the chariots (Pahandi), the king sweeps the chariot platforms (Chhera Pahara), then the public pulls the ropes. You do not need to enter the inner sanctum — many people watch from the roadside.
Which deity rides which chariot?
New chariots are built and decorated every year, then placed near the temple. Names and sizes follow old tradition. A simple government reference is rathjatra.nic.in — chariots.
| Nandighosa | Lord Jagannath. About 45 ft tall, 16 wheels. Red and yellow cloth (yellow is linked to Krishna's pitambar colour). |
|---|---|
| Taladhwaja | Lord Balabhadra. About 44 ft, 14 wheels. Red and blue; palm tree on the flag. |
| Darpadalana | Goddess Subhadra. About 43 ft, 12 wheels. Red and black — black is linked to Shakti. |
Heights and wheel counts follow the official portal; newspapers may round numbers slightly differently.
Festival order (easy version)
Important rituals start before the chariots move. Below is only a simple timeline for visitors — the full temple ritual is longer and stricter.
- Cap, water, light rain cover — July on the coast is hot and showers can come suddenly.
- Wear shoes you can stand in for hours; expect heat from the road and slow-moving crowds.
- Keep phone and cash safe; carry ID copy if your hotel or zone asks for it.
- Do not cross police barricades — they manage crowd flow and safety.
- At night, rules can change; follow the latest official advice for that year.
Why we show this date
16 July 2026 appears on many panjika / online panchang sites for Rath Yatra, for example Drik Panchang. The temple may publish a slightly different clock time. For travel, treat the temple / SJTA notice as the final word.
"For one day, the whole city pulls on the same ropes — that is the heart of Rath Yatra."Common saying · Puri