Khordha: Defying persistent rain, thousands of devotees gathered at Kankana Shikhari Temple in Chilika Lake in Odisha’s Khordha district on Thursday to witness the state’s unique water-borne Rath Yatra, where the Holy Trinity travelled on specially designed chariots mounted on interconnected boats instead of the traditional wooden chariots pulled on land.
The centuries-old festival, held from Yamuna Ghat at Nairi village to Kankana Shikhari Temple which sits peacefully on a hillock in the Chilika backwaters, is regarded as one of the most distinctive celebrations of Lord Jagannath’s annual Rath Yatra. Unlike the chariot festivals observed elsewhere, the procession here takes place entirely on water, with the deities sailing across a creek within Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon.
Three boats, securely fastened together with a single rope, were used as the base for constructing the traditional chariots—Nandighosa for Lord Jagannath, Taladhwaja for Lord Balabhadra and Darpadalana for Devi Subhadra. After the ceremonial Pahandi procession, the deities were placed on the boat-mounted chariots and taken around a 1.5-km circuit of the Kankana Shikhari creek for nearly an hour before returning to the temple premises.
Organisers said all rituals and traditions were observed in accordance with the customs followed at the Jagannath Temple in Puri. The waters of Chilika symbolically served as the Bada Danda (Grand Road), transforming the lagoon into a sacred route for the divine journey.
The rain, which continued since Wednesday, surprisingly stopped after the Pahandi ritual started around 1 pm,” said a member of the Shree Jagannath Leelakshetra Trust.
To facilitate devotees, the Kalijai Motor Boat Association provided free ferry services from Yamuna Ghat at Nairi to Kankana Shikhari, located about 500 metres across the water.
The air reverberated with chants of “Jaya Jagannath”, the sound of conch shells, bells, mridangam, cymbals and devotional kirtans as devotees from nearby villages and other parts of the state assembled to witness the rare spectacle.
Police deployed two platoons of security personnel along with five officers to ensure smooth conduct of the festival and maintain law and order throughout the event.
The temple is historically significant as it once sheltered the idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra during the Mughal invasion of Puri in 1731.
The Rath Yatra in Chilika is celebrated to honor that period of divine exile — a time when Lord Jagannath took refuge in the wilderness, protected by faith and nature.
