The passing of time has certainly not dimmed the pomp and ceremony or the intense religious aura that surrounds the annual rites for one of the most dynamic temple-festivals in the world. The Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath at Puri is one of the most important festivals not only for the Orissans but also for the whole human race.

The Jagannath Temple is one of the four holiest places (dhams) in India for the Hindus and the chariot procession (rath yatra) every year is a culmination of the religious importance, the deities enjoy.

The sheer sizes of the chariots are enough to fire the imagination. These enormous raths, hoisted on huge wheels are hauled by thousands of frenetic devotees to the Gundicha Ghar, where Lord Jagannath, His sister Subhadra and brother Balbhadra rest for a week.

The whole process is repeated when the images are transported back to the Jagannath Temple amidst a great deal of colour and frenzy activity.