Devotees Disheartened as Nandighosha Chariot Movement Halted Amid Crowd Mismanagement at Rath Yatra in Puri

Puri: Lakhs of devotees were left disheartened during the world famous Rath Yatra in Puri on Friday as the Nandighosha chariot of Lord Jagannath was halted due to crowd mismanagement.

Despite extensive planning, multiple high-level reviews, and robust preparations, the administration failed to manage the massive turnout. The situation led to a halt in the movement of Lord Jagannath’s chariot, drawing sharp criticism from devotees. Many blamed both the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) and the state government for poor crowd regulation and inadequate control measures, particularly within the restricted zone around the chariot.

The Nandighosha chariot remained stalled near the Singhadwar until 7:30 PM due to overcrowding and ineffective crowd control. The Taladhwaja chariot of Lord Balabhadra and the Darpadalan chariot of Devi Subhadra were pulled without major hindrance.

According to temple sources, the Pahandi Bije ritual, scheduled to begin at 9:30 AM, started an hour late and continued for about two hours. Following the ceremonial Chherapahanra ritual performed by Puri Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb, chariot pulling officially began around 4:10 PM.

 

However, the crowd—reportedly one-and-a-half times larger than in previous years—caused severe disruptions. Repeated attempts to move the Nandighosha chariot failed until 7:45 PM, when it was finally pulled a short distance in a symbolic gesture to preserve the sanctity of the tradition.

Defending the delay, Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said that all rituals were conducted as per schedule. Due to the unprecedented number of devotees, movement was naturally affected. Pulling chariots under floodlights has happened in earlier years too, he added.

SJTA Chief Administrator Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee remarked that all events unfolded as per the Lord’s will and announced that the pulling of all chariots would resume at 9:30 AM the following day.

The disruption drew widespread criticism. Many devotees expressed frustration that they couldn’t witness the full journey of the Nandighosha chariot on the first day, blaming the authorities for lax regulation that led to severe congestion near the chariot path.