Rathayatra: Quick Facts

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Photos

Three large, colorful chariots surrounded by crowds of Hindu devotees during the Rathayatra festival in Puri, Odisha, India.

The ancient Stone Chariot at the Vijaya Vittala Temple complex in Hampi, India, features intricate carvings and stone wheels, with temple ruins and boulders in the background.

Map of India and surrounding countries highlighting the location of Puri on the eastern coast along the Bay of Bengal. Neighboring countries such as Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives are shown, with international boundaries marked and a small inset globe indicating the region's position in Asia.

Three elaborately decorated idols of Lord Jagannath, Balaram, and Subhadra adorned with colorful garlands and ornaments are displayed on a temple altar surrounded by flowers.

A large, colorful temple chariot stands beside the ornate entrance tower of Thyagaraja Temple in Thiruvarur, Tamil Nadu, during the Rathayatra chariot festival.

A tall, decorated chariot covered in greenery and topped with red cloth stands in a busy square in Patan, Nepal, surrounded by people during the Rato Machhindranath Jatra festival.

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