The Rath Yatra is a divine journey that unites millions in the love of Lord Jagannath, a revered form of Krishna, along with his siblings, Balabhadra and Subhadra. Towering chariots rumble forward, pulled by thousands of hands, each grasping the ropes with unshakable faith.

Each year, the deities leave the sanctum of the Jagannath Temple, commencing on their sacred procession to the Gundicha Temple, their garden retreat. The highlight is the grand chariots, newly crafted every year and adorned with intricate decorations, rolling along the Bada Danda (Grand Avenue). It is believed that pulling these colossal carts grants immense spiritual blessings to the devotees.

Rooted in Hindu mythology, tracing back to the 12th century, it symbolizes Krishna’s longing to reunite with the gopis of Vrindavan, an emotion so intense that it is embodied in the divine forms of Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra. Gaudiya Vaishnavas, inspired by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu sees this as Krishna’s homecoming, a journey of love and devotion. Two weeks before the Yatra, the Snana Yatra marks the ceremonial bathing of the deities, after which they are secluded for fifteen days of divine recuperation. When they emerge, the city erupts in celebration as the chariots are drawn through the streets, an unparalleled sight of faith in motion. The return journey, Bahuda Yatra, completes this sacred cycle, reinforcing the eternal rhythm of devotion.