Jagannath Rath Yatra 2025: Date, time, rituals, significance, and ISKCON celebrations

Jagannath Rath Yatra, also known as the Chariot Festival or Shree Gundicha Yatra, is a major Hindu festival celebrated annually in Odisha. It is observed on Dwitiya Tithi—the second day of the (Shukla Paksha) of the lunar month—a time considered spiritually auspicious due to the increasing brightness of the moon.

Puri Rath Yatra 2025: Date and Timings
This year, the grand Rath Yatra will be observed on Friday, June 27, 2025. As per Drik Panchang, the auspicious timings for the festival are:

• Dwitiya Tithi begins:1:24 PM on June 26, 2025
• Dwitiya Tithi ends: 11:19 AM on June 27, 2025

Rath Yatra 2025: Nine-Day Festival Schedule

The nine-day festival begins with the grand Rath Yatra and concludes with Niladri Bijay on July 5, 2025.

When is ISKCON Rath Yatra 2025?
As reported by TOI, the ISKCON Rath Yatra in Prayagraj will take place on Sunday, June 29, 2025. The chariot procession will commence at 4:00 PM from Hira Halwai Crossing, passing through Subhash Chauraha and Hanuman Mandir, and will conclude at KP Ground.

Significance of Jagannath Rath Yatra
Jagannath Rath Yatra, with origins dating back to between the 12th and 16th centuries, is deeply embedded in both mythology and historical tradition. While some believe the festival commemorates Lord Krishna’s visit to his maternal home, others associate it with the legend of King Indradyumna.

The celebration rose to prominence during the reign of Odisha’s Gajapati dynasty and has since become a powerful symbol of devotion and cultural identity. During the nine-day yatra, the deities—Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra—embark on a sacred 3-kilometre journey from the Jagannath Temple in Puri to the Gundicha Temple.

Jagannath Rath Yatra rituals
The Jagannath Rath Yatra is filled with time-honoured rituals that hold deep spiritual significance. It begins with Rath Snana, a sacred bathing ceremony where the deities are cleansed using 108 pots of holy water. Next comes Rath Pratistha, during which the newly constructed chariots are sanctified by priests through the chanting of Vedic mantras.

The highlight of the festival is the Rath Yatra itself, when thousands of devotees gather to pull the majestic chariots of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra to the Gundicha Temple, where the deities reside for nine days. Their return journey, known as Bahuda Yatra, marks their procession back to the Jagannath Temple.

The celebration concludes with Niladri Vijaya, a ritual where the chariots are disassembled, symbolising the completion of the divine journey and the anticipation of its return in the coming year.