The 59th Rath Yatra of Mahaprabhu Jagannath, which falls on 16 July 2026, will be celebrated on a grand scale at Shri Jagannath Mandir, Thyagraj Nagar, New Delhi. This was announced by the Management Committee of the Mandir during a Press Conference held on 21 June 2026 at the Mandir premises.
Continuing the Mandir’s tradition of more than a decade, an 11-day Rath Yatra Mahotsav from 17 July to 27 July 2026 will be organized, featuring a variety of colourful cultural programmes every evening.
A special attraction of this year’s celebration is the introduction of three separate Raths—Nandighosh, Taladhwaja, and Devadalana—for Mahaprabhu Jagannath, Mahaprabhu Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra respectively, following the sacred tradition of Puri. This historic initiative will be witnessed for the first time in the Delhi-NCR region.
To promote the message of gender equality, the Devadalana Rath of Devi Subhadra will be pulled exclusively by women devotees. This unique initiative is expected to become one of the most memorable highlights of the celebration. The construction of all three Raths is nearing completion.
On the day of Rath Yatra, 16 July 2026, the Holy Deities will be brought out of the Sanctum Sanctorum in the traditional ceremonial procession known as Pahandi Bije at 10:30 a.m. and will be seated on their respective Raths by 1:00 p.m. on Shri Jagannath Marg (Badadanda).
Following the sacred ritual of Chhera Pahanra, to be performed by the designated Gajapati of the Mandir, Shri Sudhakar Mohapatra, former Director, OIL, the Rath procession will commence at 3:00 p.m. from the front gate of Thyagraj Stadium. The procession will follow a circular route covering Shri Jagannath Marg, Vikas Sadan Crossing, INA Market Service Lane, the road parallel to Shri Aurobindo Marg, INA Metro Station (Pink Line), Rajya Sabha Employees Residential Complex, and finally reach Shri Gundicha Mandir, where the Deities will stay during Their annual sojourn for nine days. More than 50,000 devotees are expected to participate in and witness the Rath Yatra.
The Mandir Management has made elaborate arrangements for security, medical assistance, drinking water facilities, water sprinkling to mitigate the effects of hot and humid weather, and free distribution of Anna Prasad to devotees. Cultural troupes sponsored by the Department of Culture, Government of Odisha, will present martial arts and traditional dance performances during the Rath Yatra procession.
A number of distinguished dignitaries, including Union Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Chief Minister of Delhi Smt. Rekha Gupta, New Delhi MP Sushri Bansuri Swaraj, local MLA Shri Neeraj Basoya, along with several former MPs and MLAs, have been invited to participate in the celebrations.
This year, Shri Gundicha Mandir will be specially designed and temporarily erected in the architectural style of the original Gundicha Temple of Puri, creating an atmosphere that will make devotees feel as though they are experiencing Rath Yatra in Puri itself. A fair-like ambience will be created throughout the Mahotsav, with an estimated 5,000 devotees attending the cultural programmes every evening.
During the Rath Yatra Mahotsav, various cultural competitions, including dance, music, drawing, and devotional activities, will be organized for children and women. Winners will be felicitated during the concluding ceremony. Every evening, renowned artists and cultural groups will present Odissi, Kathak, Sambalpuri, and other folk and traditional dance forms from different parts of the country.
As a prelude to Rath Yatra 2026, the sacred rituals of Snana Purnima will be observed on 29 June 2026 in accordance with the traditions of Shri Jagannath Temple, Puri. On this occasion, Chhapan Bhog will be offered to the Holy Deities. Thereafter, the Deities will enter the ceremonial period of Anasara, during which They remain in seclusion for recuperation following the Snana Yatra.
Addressing the media during the preparation meeting held on 21 June 2026, Shri Devananda Sahoo, Vice-President, and Shri K. D. Biswal, Honorary General Secretary, appealed to devotees, residents, and well-wishers to extend their wholehearted cooperation and support through donations and voluntary participation in making the 59th Rath Yatra Mahotsav a grand success.