Puri: The holy town of Puri is set to witness one of the most significant events of the annual Rath Yatra festival today on the occasion of Bahuda Yatra, as Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra will begin their return journey to the Shree Jagannath Temple.Thousands of devotees have already started arriving in the pilgrim town since early morning to witness the sacred procession. The Grand Road (Bada Danda) is expected to be packed with devotees from across Odisha and different parts of the country as the deities travel from the Shree Gundicha Temple back to the 12th-century shrine.The day began with the customary rituals at the Gundicha Temple. The deities will be brought out in the traditional Pahandi procession and placed on their respective chariots. Following this, the ceremonial Chhera Pahanra will be performed by the Gajapati Maharaja of Puri before the chariots are pulled by devotees.The Puri district administration has made elaborate arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of the festival. Multi-layered security has been deployed with police personnel stationed across the town. Crowd management measures, traffic restrictions, medical facilities, emergency response teams and drinking water arrangements have also been put in place to handle the large influx of pilgrims.The Bahuda Yatra marks the return journey of the sibling deities after their week-long stay at the Gundicha Temple. The festivities will continue over the next few days with events of Suna Besha, Adhara Pana and finally Niladri Bije, when the deities re-enter the sanctum of the Shree Jagannath Temple, bringing the annual Rath Yatra festival to a close.
July 24, 2026
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