Devotees across Madhya Pradesh celebrated the annual Jagannath Rath Yatra with religious fervour on Thursday as grand chariot processions were taken out in several cities, including Ujjain, Harda, Maheshwar, Begamganj and Gwalior. Thousands of devotees gathered along the procession routes, offering prayers, pulling the chariots and welcoming Lord Jagannath with flower showers, devotional music and traditional rituals.

The festival marks the annual journey of Lord Jagannath, accompanied by his elder brother Lord Balabhadra and sister Goddess Subhadra, from the temple to devotees, symbolising divine blessings and equality.

Harda Chariot Decorated With 51 kg of Flowers

In Harda, the traditional Rath Yatra began from the historic Jagdish Temple, where the deities were seated on a beautifully decorated chariot adorned with 51 kilograms of flowers. The procession, now in its third consecutive year, passed through major city roads as devotees welcomed the chariot with floral offerings, aarti and chants of "Jai Jagannath."

Large crowds lined the streets to seek blessings from the deities during the city procession.

Maheshwar Hosts 11th Rath Yatra

In Maheshwar of Khargone district, Lord Jagannath emerged for public darshan after the customary 15-day Anasara period, during which the deities remain in seclusion following the Snana Purnima rituals.

The town witnessed its 11th annual Rath Yatra, with 16 devotees ceremonially placing the idols on the chariot. Accompanied by traditional bands, drums and devotional singing, the procession drew thousands of devotees who prayed for prosperity, good rainfall and peace.

Ujjain Prepares Twin Rath Yatras

In Ujjain, two separate Rath Yatras were scheduled to begin in the afternoon.

The first procession is being organised by ISKCON Temple from Indira Nagar Square, while the second is being taken out from Lord Jagdish Temple at Kartik Chowk by the Khati community.

For the occasion, artisans from West Bengal prepared special ceremonial attire for Lord Jagannath using imported Japanese threads and pearls at an estimated cost of ₹2.5 lakh. Three specially designed chariots have also been prepared for the procession.

The route includes Mandi Chowk, Chamunda Mata, Freeganj Bridge, Tower Chowk, Teen Batti and Vikramaditya Research Institute before returning to the temple.

Begamganj Witnesses Political Unity

In Begamganj of Raisen district, the Rath Yatra reflected an atmosphere of communal harmony and political unity. Before the procession began, Congress MLA Devendra Patel and senior BJP leader and former minister Thakur Rampal Singh Rajput jointly offered prayers at the Jagdish Temple.

The procession later moved through the town amid devotional music and religious celebrations before reaching Dussehra Maidan, where Lord Jagannath's chariot will halt overnight before returning to the temple the following day.

Organisers estimated that 10,000 to 15,000 devotees would participate in the celebrations.

Preparations Continue in Gwalior

In Kulaith village near Gwalior, devotees gathered at the Jagannath Temple for devotional singing and community feasts ahead of the Rath Yatra. The procession was scheduled to begin in the afternoon, with elaborate security arrangements and a village fair organised to accommodate the expected crowd.

Festival Symbolises Devotion and Inclusivity

Jagannath Rath Yatra is among India's most significant religious festivals and is celebrated across several states with massive public participation. The procession symbolises Lord Jagannath's journey among devotees and reflects values of devotion, equality and social harmony.

Authorities across Madhya Pradesh deployed police personnel and traffic management teams to ensure the smooth and peaceful conduct of the celebrations.

It's not a national holiday
Rath Yatra is a regional festival, and July 16 doesn't qualify as a nationwide school closure. In states where the festival isn't widely celebrated, schools are expected to run as usual unless a separate local order says otherwise.

Where closures are likely
Odisha, as the epicentre of the celebrations centred in Puri, is the state most likely to see government schools, colleges and other educational institutions shut for the day, with lakhs of devotees expected to take part in the chariot procession. West Bengal and Manipur — where the festival is observed as Kang Chingba, or the Kang Festival — are also likely to see closures on a significant scale, though this will still depend on notifications from respective state governments and district authorities.

A more localised picture in Gujarat and Jharkhand
In Gujarat, particularly Ahmedabad, which hosts one of the country's largest Rath Yatra processions, schools situated along or near the procession route may close for the day or simply run on revised timings — a decision typically made at the local authority level rather than statewide. Jharkhand is also listed among states likely to see holidays in areas where the festival is observed on a larger scale.

Delhi-NCR stays open
Schools in Delhi-NCR have historically not closed for Jagannath Rath Yatra, and this year is expected to follow that same pattern.

What parents should actually do
Because holiday declarations can vary even between districts within the same state, the safest approach is to check directly with your child's school or the local Directorate of Education notification before assuming a closure — don't rely on assumptions based on what a neighbouring district or a previous year did.

Other holidays coming up in July
July 16 also brings the Harela festival in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, subject to state notification. Later in the month, Guru Purnima on July 29 is expected to bring school closures across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand, while July 31 is a scheduled holiday in Punjab and Haryana for Shaheed Udham Singh Martyrdom Day. Beyond festival dates, regular weekend closures fall on July 19, 25 (fourth Saturday) and 26.

Given how much this varies by district, the one thing every parent can rely on is checking their own school's official notification rather than a general state-level assumption.