Ratha Yatra or the Chariot Festival is an annual Hindu festival associated with the god Jagannath held at Puri in the state of Odisha. The festival commemorates Lord Jagannath's annual visit to Gundicha Temple via aunt's home (Mausi Maa Temple). As part of Ratha Yatra, the deities of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are taken out in a procession to Gundicha Temple and remain there for nine days. The return journey of Puri Jagannath Ratha Jatra is known as Bahuda Jatra.

The three chariots of Balabhadra, Subhadra and Jagannatha are newly constructed every year with wood of specified trees like phassi, dhausa etc. They are customarily brought from the ex-princely state of Dasapalla by a specialist team of carpenters who have hereditary rights and privileges for the same. The logs are traditionally set afloat as rafts in the river Mahanadi. These are collected near Puri and then transported by road.

Photo: G U Tolkiehn