Rath Yatra 2026: Process for chariot construction begins with consecration of logs at Odisha’s Puri

Bhubaneswar: The process for construction of chariots for this year’s Rath Yatra at Odisha’s Puri town started on the occasion of Sripanchami today.

The Brahmin priests of Jagannath temple consecrated three logs for construction of the chariots for the annual festival by performing the traditional rituals.

The priests offered prayers before Goddess Saraswati and sanctified the three logs with ‘Panchamruta’ before performing other rituals in front of the office of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) at the Holy Town in the evening.

They consecrated the three logs for the construction of Nandighosa chariot of Lord Jagannath, Taladhwaja chariot of Lord Balabhadra and Darpadalana chariot of Devi Subhadra for Rath Yatra.

865 pieces of wood needed for chariot construction 

SJTA chief administrator Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Puri district Collector Dibya Jyoti Parida, SP Prateek Singh and senior officials of the district administration as well as the 12^th century shrine were present on the occasion.

The Maharana servitors (carpenters) of the temple require altogether 865 pieces of wood for construction of the three chariots for Rath Yatra. The state government usually sources good quality wood from Dashapalla forests in Nayagarh for construction of chariots for the festival.  

It is worth mentioning here that lakhs of devotees from across the Globe throng the Holy Town to take part in the annual festival.