Rain fails to dampen spirit as lakhs join Puri Rath Yatra

Puri: An estimated eight to nine lakh devotees from across the country and abroad gathered in Puri on Thursday to witness the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Chakraraj Sudarshana. Despite persistent rainfall, all major rituals, including the ceremonial pulling of the three chariots, were completed smoothly.

The Odisha government had deployed extensive security, health and emergency services, along with ODRAF, NDRF and other agencies, to manage the massive congregation. Authorities said the festival remained peaceful, with no stampede or major crowd management issues.

Seven devotees who fell ill due to rain and exhaustion were shifted to hospitals. Two of them—an elderly man and another devotee who reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest—died despite medical attention, while the others were treated and discharged.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi thanked devotees, servitors and officials for their cooperation, saying their collective efforts ensured the smooth conduct of the festival.