The holy coastal town of Puri was overwhelmed with intense devotion on Friday as thousands of pilgrims gathered for the grand Bahuda Rath Yatra, also known as the ‘Return Car Festival’, marking the journey of the sibling deities back to the 12th-century Jagannath Temple from the Gundicha Temple.
With a massive turnout of pilgrims packing the Grand Road for the annual grand event, several devotees who experienced heat-related ailments or exhaustion were immediately shifted to nearby healthcare units. To maintain seamless emergency operations despite the dense sea of people, the Odisha state government established dedicated green corridors for ambulances alongside temporary medical check-posts stationed at multiple locations along the route.
Extending warm greetings on the ocassion, Odisha Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling praised the extensive arrangements made by the state government to ensure the smooth conduct of the festival.
He said, “Today, on the auspicious occasion of the holy Bahuda Yatra, I extend my best wishes to all the devotees of Odisha and to devotees across the world. With the blessings of Lord Jagannath, we are moving this program forward with complete dedication and commitment from the administration and the government. As you can see, the Health Department has organised a special arrangement today.”
Detailing the medical infrastructure deployed along Bada Danda, the minister added, “There is a well-planned system for transporting people through ambulances, and all necessary measures have been taken to ensure smooth operations. Along with this, temporary hospitals have also been arranged, with medical teams deployed on both sides. I will personally stay overnight to monitor the arrangements. On behalf of the Health and Family Welfare Department of the Odisha Government, I extend my gratitude and best wishes to Bajrang Dal and all other organisations involved in creating a human chain and supporting the ambulance services.”
The sacred Bahuda Yatra marks the return journey of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra from the Gundicha Temple to the Jagannath Temple and is one of the most significant events of the annual Rath Yatra festivities, attracting lakhs of devotees from across India and abroad.
Earlier in the day, Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, the titular King of Puri, performed the ceremonial Chhera Pahanra ritual, the age-old ritual of sweeping the wooden decks of all three grand chariots using a gold-handled broom prior to the commencement of the chariot pulling.
One of the world’s largest annual religious gatherings, the Rath Yatra remains a grand symbol of universal brotherhood and devotion, drawing millions of faithful devotees from around the globe to pull the sacred ropes of the divine chariots.
