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Jagannath Rath Yatra 2026: Facts About the Three Chariots – The Rath Yatra, which begins at the Shri Mandir in Puri, commences annually on *Ashadha Shukla Dwitiya* (the second day of the bright fortnight of the Ashadha month). The Yatra will begin on July 16 and conclude on July 27 with *Niladri Bije*. Following religious rituals, Lord Jagannath will ascend His massive chariot, *Nandighosha*, while His brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra will be seated on separate chariots. The chariots will then be pulled to the Gundicha Temple using thick ropes. New chariots are constructed for the Yatra every year, with preparations beginning well in advance.

**Chariot Construction Process Begins on Basant Panchami**
The work of building chariots for the Rath Yatra begins annually on the day of Basant Panchami. On this day, auspicious and suitable wood is selected for the construction. Sacred timber from trees such as Neem, Dhausa, and Asan is used; this wood is referred to as *Daru*. During the selection process, care is taken to ensure that the chosen trees do not harbor bird nests or termite infestations.

**Construction of Chariots Begins on Akshaya Tritiya**
The actual construction of the chariots commences on the day of Akshaya Tritiya. Temple priests perform rituals and prayers by touching the wood with a golden axe, after which artisans begin the construction work. All three chariots are completed before the *Navajaubana Darshan* and *Netrotsava* ceremonies.

Iron nails are not used in the construction of the chariots; instead, they are assembled using wooden grooves, joints, and natural ropes. Each chariot is adorned with cotton fabric of a specific color, allowing observers to identify which chariot belongs to which deity from a distance.

**Lord Jagannath’s Chariot: Nandighosha**
Lord Jagannath rides the *Nandighosha*, a chariot featuring 16 wheels. Lord Jagannath rides the Nandighosha chariot, which is red and yellow in color.
This chariot stands approximately 45.6 feet tall and is fitted with 16 wheels.
The 'Trilokyamohini' flag is hoisted on this chariot.
Garuda is the guardian of Nandighosha, and Daruka is its charioteer.
The rope used to pull this chariot is named 'Shankhachuda'.
Four white horses—Shankha, Balahaka, Shveta, and Haridvash—are yoked to this chariot.
This is the largest and heaviest of the three chariots; it moves at the rear of the procession.

Lord Balabhadra rides the Taladhvaja chariot.
Lord Balabhadra's chariot is named Taladhvaja; it leads the procession. The 'Unnani' flag is hoisted on it.
This chariot stands approximately 45 feet tall and is fitted with 14 wheels.
The chariot is red and green in color.
Vasudeva is the guardian and Matali is the charioteer of Lord Balabhadra's chariot.
The rope used to pull Taladhvaja is named 'Vasuki'.
Four black horses—Tivra, Ghora, Dirghasharma, and Swarnanabha—are yoked to this chariot.

Arjuna is the charioteer of Goddess Subhadra's chariot, Darpadalan.
Goddess Subhadra rides the 12-wheeled chariot named Darpadalan.
Goddess Subhadra's chariot is named Darpadalan; it moves in the middle. It is also known as the 'Padma Ratha'.
This chariot stands approximately 44.6 feet tall and is fitted with 12 wheels.
Darpadalan is red and black in color, and its guardian is Jayadurga. The 'Nadambika' flag flies atop the chariot.

Arjuna is the charioteer of Goddess Subhadra's chariot.
The chariot is pulled using a rope named 'Swarnachuda'.
Four red or brown horses—Rochika, Mochika, Jita, and Aparajita—are yoked to it.

What happens to the chariots after the Rath Yatra concludes?
Once the Rath Yatra ends, the chariots are dismantled because new ones are constructed for the procession each year; there is no tradition of preserving them. The horses attached to the chariots are also made of wood, and the chariots are pulled using ropes.

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