Rath Yatra
Also called Jagannath Rath Yatra, Chariot Festival
When
Monday, 5 July 2027 in 298 days
New Delhi ยท change location
See the complete panchang for that day โ
Why this date?
Ashadha Shukla Dwitiya.
- Computed by the panchanga engine for your location
- Follows a written selection rule, not a copied list
- Governed by the whole day rather than a specific period
- The written guide has not yet been reviewed by a named scholar
Dates come from the calculation engine and are independent of the written guide. How we calculate โ
Dates in the coming years
- Monday, 5 July 2027 in 298 days
- Saturday, 24 June 2028 in 653 days
- Friday, 13 July 2029 in 1037 days
- Tuesday, 2 July 2030 in 1391 days
Published to 2030. Later years appear as the dataset is extended and validated.
What In short
The Puri chariot festival. Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra leave the temple on three enormous chariots and are pulled by the crowd to the Gundicha temple, where they stay nine days before returning.
- Deity: Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra
Why The reason behind it
It is the one occasion the deities leave the sanctum and are accessible to everyone, without exception of caste or faith โ the reason the festival has always drawn far beyond Odisha. The chariots are built new each year from specified timber and dismantled after; nothing is reused.
Traditional basis
Skanda Purana, Utkala Khanda โ The Puri Jagannath tradition and the chariot festival.
Puri temple ritual record โ The annual construction of the three chariots and the Gundicha journey.
How At home, step by step
- Join or witness the pulling of the chariots; the pulling is itself the participation.
- The Pahandi procession brings the deities out; the Chhera Pahanra sweeping of the chariots precedes the journey.
- The return, Bahuda Yatra, follows nine days later.
Fasting and breaking the fast
Not a fasting day.
Fasting guidance here describes traditional practice. It is not medical advice โ if you are pregnant, diabetic, on medication or unwell, ask a doctor about your own circumstances.
Personal In your region
- Odisha (Odia)
Puri's is the original and largest; Rath Yatras are held across Odisha. - Bengal (Bengali)
Widely kept, with local chariot processions and the associated fair. - Gujarat (Gujarati)
Ahmedabad's Rath Yatra is among the largest outside Odisha.
For children
The one day of the year the gods come out of the temple. Three huge chariots are built and thousands of people pull them down the road.
Common questions
- Why are the chariots rebuilt every year?
- Because the tradition requires it โ new timber, specified sources, and dismantling afterwards. The chariot is not a permanent vehicle but a thing made for one journey.
This guide has not yet been reviewed by a named scholar or practising priest. The dates and times on this page come from the calculation engine and are independent of it; the explanatory text is editorial and may not reflect your family's practice. Tell us if something is wrong.