According to the Hindu calendar, the festival takes place on the second day of Shukla Paksha in the month of Ashada, which usually falls in June or July according to the Gregorian calendar. This year, Jagannath Rath Yatra will start on June 27, and the festivities will continue till July 5

This is the only time in the year when the idols of the three deities – Lord Jagannath, his brother Lord Balabhadra and his sister Devi Subhadra – leave the temple premises (Pic: iStock)

The procession with the chariots carrying the idols of these deities starts from Jagannath Temple and ends at Gundicha Temple. Hence, the festival is also referred to as Shri Gundicha Yatra

New chariots are built for this grand procession every year using specific types of wood. Participating in the procession and pulling the chariot even for a few steps is considered sacred and spiritually significant

While Puri is the primary location of this observance and a hotspot of celebrations, Jagannath Rath Yatra also takes place in other parts of the country, and even beyond India