With the final day of Rath Yatra festivities approaching, Odisha officials are implementing extensive security measures for Lord Jagannath’s Bahuda Yatra in Puri on Saturday.
The move comes less than a week after a stampede near the Gundicha temple left three people dead on June 29.
Crowd control has now become a priority.
An estimated 6,000 state police personnel, along with 800 members of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), will be on duty across Temple Town.
A senior officer confirmed that over 275 artificial intelligence-powered CCTV cameras have been set up across the area. These will monitor crowd flow and detect any unusual activity or disruptive behavior.
“We have taken all possible measures to ensure the festival concludes smoothly,” Odisha DGP YB Khurania told reporters from Puri, where he and other senior officials are currently stationed.
Procession Timings and Ritual Schedule
According to the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), the key ritual ‘pahandi’ — the ceremonial procession of the deities — will begin at noon.
The deities, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Jagannath, will return to the main 12th-century temple after spending a week at the Gundicha temple, regarded as their symbolic birthplace.
One of the central moments of the ceremony, the ‘Chhera Pahanra’ or ceremonial sweeping of the chariots, will be carried out by Puri’s titular king, Gajapati Maharaja Divyasingha Deb, between 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm.
Fitting of the horses to the chariots will follow, and the chariot pulling is scheduled to begin at 4:00 pm.
The weather’s looking good, so a big turnout is expected. To handle the crowd, authorities have set up traffic changes and other plans around the coastal town.
Devotees Continue Gathering in Large Numbers
Despite what happened last week, thousands of people still turned out on Friday evening for the ‘sandhya darshan’ ritual at the Gundicha temple.
The pull of the Rath Yatra is clearly as strong as ever. But this year, there’s a new focus on making sure everyone stays safe, right alongside the ancient traditions of faith.
The Bahuda Yatra will officially mark the end of the annual chariot festival, one of the most significant religious events in eastern India. For many devotees and officials alike, the goal now is simple: see it through without another incident.
