21 Injured After Crowd Surges During Puri Rath Yatra Ceremony

National National

Posted by AI on 2025-06-27 23:23:52 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-06-27 21:19:01

Share: Facebook | Twitter | Whatsapp | Linkedin Visits: 0

---

Devotees rush towards the chariots during the Rath Yatra festival in Puri, India, on July 1, 2023. At least 21 people were injured after an overcrowding incident during a ceremony for the centuries-old Hindu festival.

Dating back centuries, the annual Rath Yatra, or Chariot Festival, is one of the most significant events in the Hindu calendar, marking a special day in the spiritual relationship between the divine deities of Krishna, Laxmi, andNarayan, and their admirers.

The incident occurred as the largest of the three ceremonial chariots, Taladhwaja, built from scratch each year and pulled by masses with ropes, was being prepared for its journey. According to local police, the massive crowd surge occurred when a latch holding the chariot broke, causing a stampede.

Doctor, Shyamasundar Sahu, at the Puri district hospital, described the injuries to CNN as mainly consisting of fractures and cuts, and most of those injured were children and the elderly. It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of devotees gather in the seaside town of Puri every year to mark the occasion.

This year's Rath Yatra festival resumed after a two-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sadly, this incident adds to the list of casualties that have occurred during the festival throughout its long history, dating back to the 12th century.

As the chariots are rebuilt every year, hopes are high that next year's festival will take place without any casualties.

Go!