Thousands gather for Bahuda Yatra in Puri with security

Thousands of devotees gathered in Puri, Odisha, on Friday, July 24, 2026, for the Bahuda Yatra, the annual return journey of the deities Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra to the 12th-century Jagannath Temple. The festival, a key phase of the larger Rath Yatra, marks the deities' return after a week-long stay at the Gundicha Temple, located approximately 2.6 kilometers away.

The day's rituals commenced with the ceremonial Pahandi procession, where temple servitors carried the deities from the Gundicha Temple to their respective chariots. Although the procession was officially scheduled to begin at noon, it started earlier, around 10:50 a.m., amid chants from the assembled crowd. The divine discus, Chakraraj Sudarshan, was the first to be placed on the chariot of Goddess Subhadra, named Darpadalan. Lord Balabhadra was then carried to his chariot, Taladwaj, followed by Goddess Subhadra in a special Sunya Pahandi procession. Lord Jagannath was the last to be placed on his chariot, Nandighosh.

Following the Pahandi, the traditional Chhera Pahanra ritual was performed by Puri's titular king, Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, who ceremonially swept the chariots...