Every year in Puri, Odisha, a very special festival takes place to honor Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra. In 2025, this event started on June 11 with the Snana Purnima ritual and will continue until July 5 with the famous Jagannath Rath Yatra. This celebration attracts lakhs of people from India and around the world.
Snana Purnima is the day when the three deities are brought out for a public bath. This happens once a year at the Jagannath Temple in Puri. They are bathed with 108 pots of sacred water from a golden well inside the temple. This special event is held on a large platform called the Snana Mandap, and it marks the beginning of the Rath Yatra celebrations.
After the Snana Yatra, the deities are believed to fall sick due to the cold water. They are taken inside the temple and kept away from public view for about 15 days. This rest period is called Anavasara. Devotees believe the gods are healing during this time and getting for the Rath Yatra.
The Rath Yatra is a nine-day long festival full of beautiful rituals. Here is the full calendar of events:
During the Rath Yatra, the three deities travel in huge wooden chariots on the roads of Puri. Each deity has a different chariot:
These chariots are pulled by thousands of devotees, which is considered a great blessing.
One of the most special things about this festival is that everyone is allowed to take part. People of all religious, castes and countries come together to pull the chariots and celebrate. It is seen as a time for unity, devotion and joy.
The Rath Yatra is one of the biggest religious gatherings in the world. Lakhs of people come to Puri to watch the beautiful procession. The chariots move along the Grand Road to the Gundicha Temple, which is said to be the house of the deities’ maternal aunt.
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