Puri: Preparations are underway for the Rath Yatra 2026 in Puri. The sacred woods for constructing the chariots have arrived in Puri’s Grand Road, with nine pieces of 12-foot and 19 pieces of 20-foot Asaan wood received from Madhupur forest in Boudh district. The wood will be used to build the grand chariots for Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra.
According to reports, a puja ceremony is scheduled to consecrate the Rath Yatra chariot woods at the Odisha Forest Development Corporation’s saw mill in Cuttack’s Khapuria between 12:16 pm and 2:41 pm today. This ritual marks the beginning of preparations for the 2026 Rath Yatra. A team from the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration will attend the ceremony, bringing offerings and puja materials from the Jagannath temple and will depart for Cuttack at 10 am.
It is pertinent to mention that the chariot construction is a meticulous process, requiring 865 wooden logs, including Asana, Dhaura, and Phasi varieties. The logs were sanctified on Saraswati Puja, and the actual construction will begin on Akshaya Tritiya in April 2026. The Rath Yatra is expected to take place in July 2026.
