Odisha: Puri gears up for Lord Jagannath's Bahuda Yatra amid heavy security

Bahuda Yatra, the return car festival of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra, will be held in Puri on July 24, 2026, with heavy security.

Security includes over 13,000 personnel and more than 400 AI-enabled CCTV cameras for real-time surveillance and crowd monitoring.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi directed scientific crowd management and real-time information sharing after two devotees died in a crowd surge during Rath Yatra on July 16.

The ceremonial procession 'Pahandi' is scheduled to begin at noon, but may start earlier if rituals are completed ahead of schedule, as per SJTA Chief Administrator Arabinda Padhee.

Puri's titular king Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb will perform 'Chhera Pahanra' before devotees pull the chariots to Jagannath Temple.