Viral Video Claiming to Show Puri Rath Yatra of 1932 Resurfaces as Annual Chariot Festival Draws Massive Crowds

The widely shared video, circulated on Instagram under the title "Rarest Footage of Puri Ratha Yatra 1932," features the British Pathé logo along with the watermark of a page called Finding Temples. The footage shows massive crowds of devotees gathered around the towering wooden chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra as the procession moves through the streets of Puri.

Several scenes capture devotees pulling the enormous chariots with thick ropes while densely packed streets remain lined with spectators. Elevated viewing platforms filled with onlookers are also visible throughout the footage, offering what appears to be a rare visual record of an early Rath Yatra procession.

The Jagannath Rath Yatra, held every year in Puri, Odisha, is regarded as one of the country's most significant religious festivals. Every year, hundreds of thousands of devotees from across India and abroad travel to the coastal city to witness the centuries-old chariot procession. This year's festival began on July 16 and will continue until July 24, with Puri once again witnessing an overwhelming influx of pilgrims and visitors.

 

 

 

 

 

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According to the Hindu calendar, the festival is observed every year on the second lunar day of the bright fortnight during the month of Ashadha. Three massive wooden chariots are specially constructed for Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra. The procession begins with the chariot of Lord Balabhadra, followed by the chariot of Devi Subhadra, while the chariot of Lord Jagannath, known as Nandighosh, proceeds last.

The festival is considered unique because it allows devotees to have the sacred viewing of the deities outside the Jagannath Temple. Many devotees also believe that pulling the ropes of Lord Jagannath's chariot brings spiritual merit and divine blessings.

During the nine-day celebration, the three deities travel from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple, traditionally believed to be the residence of their aunt. After remaining there for several days, they return to the main temple during the return chariot procession, after which they are ceremonially reinstalled on the Ratnavedi. The annual festival continues to stand as one of India's most enduring religious traditions, while the viral historical footage has further amplified public fascination with its rich cultural and spiritual heritage.