How Puri's Rath Yatra gave us the word ‘Juggernaut'

Time of India

8 hours ago

How Puri's Rath Yatra gave us the word 'Juggernaut'
Few festivals in the world combine spectacle, devotion, and scale quite like the Rath Yatra of Puri, a centuries-old celebration held in Odisha, India. Dedicated to Lord Jagannath, a form of Krishna, this grand procession of towering chariots pulled by thousands of devotees has captivated observers for generations.
But beyond its religious significance, the festival left a deep impression on colonial visitors during British rule. In fact, it gave rise to one of English's most powerful metaphors: the word "juggernaut", now commonly used to describe any unstoppable force.
What many English speakers don't realise is that the origins of this word lie not in machinery or militarism but in a misinterpretation of a sacred tradition.
As colonial officers and missionaries attempted to make sense of what they were witnessing, their writings transformed a devotional celebration into a misunderstood and often sensationalised narrative. This article explores how Rath Yatra inspired the word 'juggernaut', the myths that followed, and the eventual shift in understanding over time.
The Rath Yatra: A spectacle of faith
The Rath Yatra is one of the oldest and most important Hindu festivals in India, held annually in Puri, Odisha.
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It celebrates the journey of Lord Jagannath, along with his siblings Balabhadra and Subhadra, from the Jagannath Temple to the nearby Gundicha Temple—their aunt's home. The three wooden deities are placed on massive, ornately decorated chariots and pulled through the city by throngs of worshippers.
The chariots themselves are enormous—up to 45 feet high and weighing several tons—and are moved manually using long ropes.
The scene is both physically and emotionally intense, as thousands chant, sing, and pull the chariots in unison. The scale and energy of the procession created an atmosphere that overwhelmed many early European witnesses.
From devotion to 'Juggernaut': A word is born
The English word 'juggernaut' is directly derived from 'Jagannath', the Sanskrit name for the deity. During the British colonial period in India, English-speaking missionaries and officials struggled to interpret the purpose and emotional intensity of the festival.
For them, the sheer momentum and power of the chariots, combined with the enthusiastic crowds, symbolised something vast and uncontrollable.
This impression eventually took root in the English language. The Oxford English Dictionary notes that the term 'juggernaut' began appearing in English by the late 18th century, but its metaphorical use gained traction in the 19th century, especially after accounts like those of
Reverend Claudius Buchanan
.
From ritual to rumour: The story behind 'juggernaut'
One of the most influential figures in shaping Western perceptions of Rath Yatra was Rev. Claudius Buchanan, a Scottish theologian and Anglican missionary. In his widely circulated 1811 work, Christian Researches in Asia, Buchanan described the Rath Yatra as a violent, frenzied event. He claimed that devotees would throw themselves under the wheels of Lord Jagannath's chariot in acts of religious suicide or sacrifice.
However, modern historians and scholars have debunked these claims. While isolated incidents may have occurred over centuries, there is no evidence that mass self-sacrifice was ever a standard practice of the festival. Buchanan's account, shaped by missionary zeal and colonial bias, sensationalised the event to promote Christian evangelism and cast Hindu practices in a negative light.
These early portrayals, filled with religious and cultural misunderstanding, contributed to the term 'juggernaut' taking on a destructive or overpowering connotation in English.
'Juggernaut' in modern usage: A metaphor detached
Today, 'juggernaut' is widely used in English to refer to anything immense, powerful, and seemingly unstoppable—especially in business, politics, sports, or technology. Consider the following examples:
'The tech company became a juggernaut, outcompeting every rival in its path.'
'The political campaign rolled across the country like a juggernaut.'
'The film franchise is a box office juggernaut.'
In these contexts, the word has lost its direct connection to the Rath Yatra or Lord Jagannath. Yet, its linguistic roots remain firmly embedded in that very cultural and religious celebration.
How the west relearned the truth about Rath Yatra
By the late 19th century, some Western writers and publications began to offer more balanced and respectful interpretations of the Rath Yatra.
For example, an 1878 article in Harper's Magazine included detailed engravings of the Puri temple and described the festival in its spiritual and cultural context. These accounts moved away from fear-based depictions and sought to understand the event on its terms.
In recent years, scholars and cultural commentators have revisited the origins of 'juggernaut' to clarify the misconceptions spread during the colonial era.
The modern view acknowledges that while the term has evolved in English, it emerged from a profound misreading of a deeply meaningful religious tradition.
The journey from Jagannath to 'juggernaut' is as symbolic as the Rath Yatra itself. It illustrates how language is shaped by perception, power, and history. What began as a religious celebration of community, faith, and tradition was transformed—through colonial misunderstanding—into a metaphor for unstoppable force, often tinged with destruction.
Today, while the word 'juggernaut' has taken on a life of its own in the English language, its origins lie in the dusty roads of Puri, where devotees still gather to pull the mighty chariots of Lord Jagannath. Revisiting this linguistic history not only corrects past misconceptions but also highlights the cultural intersections where language and tradition meet—and sometimes clash.
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