Overview

• The Bahuda Yatra kicked off at 10 am, two hours early, with Pahandi rituals and the Chhera Pahanra floor-sweeping by Gajapati Maharaja completed before the chariot pull
• Lakhs of devotees pulled the Taladwaj, Darpadalan and Nandighosh chariots along the 2.6 km Grand Road route back to the 12th-century Jagannath Temple with chants of 'Jai Jagannath' and 'Haribol'
• Over 10,000 security personnel, more than 275 AI-enabled CCTV cameras and drones were deployed to monitor the procession and maintain order
• The security surge followed a June 29 stampede near Gundicha Temple that killed three devotees and injured about 50, prompting a 30-day administrative inquiry
• Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Opposition Leader Naveen Patnaik extended greetings to worshippers as the festival reached its culmination