Not just at top, TMC cracks at grassroots too as people step out against ‘syndicates’

Thousands of devotees thronged the 16-km procession route amid unprecedented security cover of more than 30,000 personnel as the 149th Jagannath Rath Yatra rolled out from the 400-year-old temple in Jamalpur on Thursday morning. By the time the procession reached Saraspur, the afternoon sun had become intense, yet the spirit of the devotees remained unwavering. People continued waiting under the scorching heat for hours to catch a glimpse of the chariots carrying deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra. Tall Hanuman flags surrounding the chariots added to the grandeur of the procession.For the volunteers and truck owners, the annual yatra is a deeply personal commitment. Prem Patel, the 27-year-old owner of Chetna Decoration and the Lal Bagh truck, said he has been attending the Rath Yatra since his childhood. “I may skip Diwali festivities, but not the Rath Yatra,” Patel said. Arrangements were made in Saraspur for a massive mahabhog (community feast) for all the participants. The atmosphere at Saraspur reflected both celebration and careful planning. The narrow roads were divided using rope barricades to manage the crowd. Access beyond the barricades was restricted mainly to volunteers, police personnel, organisers, and families that have traditionally participated in the Rath Yatra for generations. Outside the restricted area, a festive fair had taken shape with small stalls selling toys, ice creams, and refreshments. Free drinking water was distributed to visitors, while buttermilk remained in high demand as people tried to beat the afternoon heat, which would give way to an overcast sky and then rain as the chariots made their way back to the Jagannath temple. Paramedics attended to about 41 people and three people had to be moved to hospitals. These included 15 cases of fainting, five of cuts and bruises, four cases each of breathing problems and falling injuries and three traffic accidents. The procession featured 18 majestic elephants, each decorated with colourful artwork painted across their trunks, ears and bodies. Unlike 2025, when two elephants ran amok during the Rath Yatra injuring two persons including police personnel, no such adverse event was reported this year. As a precaution, the police had equipped the beasts with ‘Gajarakshak’ elephant monitoring system that included GPS tracking, sound monitoring sensors, gyroscope-based movement detection, and live surveillance cameras for real-time monitoring from the Central Control Room.Story continues below this ad Satish Modi, vice-president of an association involved in coordinating the tableaux, said his family has been doing this work for over 100 years. For his family, he said, the Rath Yatra is the biggest festival of the year. Nikhil Patel, a truck owner, said he grew up watching his father and grandfather prepare for the event every year. He said 101 trucks joined the parade this year. Every single truck was carefully numbered and decorated with beautiful idols and messages. Some had colourful idols of Hindu gods and goddesses like Lord Ganesha, Ambaji Mata, Bahuchar Mata, Lord Hanuman, and Lord Ram. One tableau carried the message: “One message from all four Vedas, the knowledge of the Vedas is for the welfare of humanity.” Among the many tableaux, one, carrying a message of global peace, particularly drew the attention of visitors. Decorated with colourful balloons, ribbons and bright curtains, the tableau referred to the Iran-United States conflict and displayed posters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. One volunteer on the truck wore a Modi mask, while Gujarati slogans such as “Bharat Desh Shaanti Chahe Che” and English messages including “No War, Only Peace” highlighted the importance of peace. Repeated announcements informed visitors about the ongoing mahabhog (community feast) at Saraspur and requested people to follow the instructions of the organisers and police. Rohan Rajesh Patel, who owns the Gujarat and Govardhan tableaux,