Renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik created a sand art at Puri beach on Sunday. He crafted a sand idol of Lord Shiva to mark the first Monday of the auspicious Sawan month.
The former King of Puri, Gajapati Dibyasingh Deb, has objected to ISKCON devotees celebrating Lord Jagannath's Rath Yatra "throughout the year" outside India, calling it "inappropriate", thus against tradition and scriptures.
The Archaeological Survey of India has completed the repair work of Jagannath temple's Ratna Bhandar (treasury) and the inventory-related work will begin after the valuables are shifted to the Ratna Bhandar.
Devotees witnessed Lord Jagannath and his siblings, Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, on chariot during the special 'Adhara Panna' ritual in Puri. 'Adhara Panna' is a very sacred ritual that involves offering a special drink, known as 'Panna', to Lord Jagannath and his siblings, in uniquel
The festival completes its last act with Bahuda Yatra, the "return journey," deeply spiritual and a cultural spectacle with people witnessing the return of Lord Jagannath's Nandighosha chariot, Lord Balabhadra's Taladhwaja chariot, and Goddess Subhadra's Darpadalan chariot.
Preparations for the ceremonial return of the chariots, Nandighosha, Taladhwaja, and Darpadalana, are also in full swing, as thousands gathered along the Grand Road (Bada Danda) to witness the divine procession.
Puri has deployed 205 platoons for the Bahuda Yatra on July 5, 2025, as Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra return to Jagannath Temple, ensuring a secure and peaceful festival, says DGP Yogesh Khurania.
Police presence has been enhanced, particularly outside the Shri Gundicha Temple, where nearly 10,000 police personnel have been deployed to ensure the safety of the massive gathering of devotees.
The coastal town of Puri is alive with devotion and cultural fervour as preparations peak for the Bahuda Yatra, the return journey of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra to the Jagannath Temple from Shri Gundicha Temple on Saturday.
The Odisha Congress in-charge Ajay Kumar Lallu criticised the assult on Ratnakar Sahoo, Additional Commissioner of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) by the Bharatiya Janta Party leader Jagannath Pradhan and said that Odisha is turning into "Jungle Raj".
In the case of assault on Ratnakar Sahoo, Additional Commissioner of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), BJP leader Jagannath Pradhan surrendered in the DCP office, Bhubaneswar, and subsequently got arrested by the police.