The spiritually charged Bahuda Yatra 2026 gathered momentum on Friday as Lord Jagannath was ceremonially carried in the traditional Pahandi procession and seated on the Nandighosa chariot amid chants of “Jai Jagannath” and the beating of cymbals and drums.
Earlier, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and Sudarshan were escorted from the Gundicha Temple in the customary Pahandi ritual and placed on their respective chariots—Taladhwaja, Darpadalana, and Nandighosa—marking the beginning of the deities’ return journey to the 12th-century Shree Jagannath Temple.
Thousands of devotees lined the Bada Danda (Grand Road) and temple surroundings to witness the sacred procession, considered one of the most significant rituals of the annual Rath Yatra festival.
The Pahandi ceremony, performed by temple servitors, saw the sibling deities carried in a rhythmic, swaying movement from the sanctum of the Gundicha Temple to their chariots amid devotional music and the continuous chanting of hymns.
With all the deities now seated on their respective chariots, the focus shifts to the Chhera Pahanra ritual, during which the Gajapati Maharaja of Puri will ceremonially sweep the chariots with a golden broom, symbolising humility and equality before the Lord.
Following the completion of the ritual, devotees will pull the three chariots along the Grand Road towards the Shree Jagannath Temple, completing the Bahuda Yatra, the return leg of the world-famous Rath Yatra.
Lakhs of devotees are expected to participate in the procession, while elaborate security, traffic management and crowd-control arrangements have been put in place to ensure the smooth conduct of the festival.
