Hundreds fall ill amid sweltering heat and overcrowding at India chariot festival
More than 600 devotees required medical assistance after a massive crowd gathered for a Hindu festival amid sweltering heat in eastern India on Friday.
The annual festival of Rath Yatra, which draws over a million people to the city of Puri in Odisha state, saw a series of fainting spells, vomiting, and minor injuries, primarily from overcrowding near the Balagandi area, where one of the three ceremonial chariots became stuck for over an hour.
Rath Yatra, also known as the Chariot Festival, is one of the most important Hindu festivals in eastern India. It celebrates the annual journey of three deities – Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra, and sister Subhadra – from their main temple in the city to a nearby shrine called Gundicha.
The deities are transported on giant, handcrafted wooden chariots pulled by thousands of worshippers. The deities stay at the Gundicha temple for several days before returning to the main shrine. The return is marked by another procession and the festival ends with a ceremony called Niladri Vijaya where the chariots are taken apart.
#WATCH | Puri, Odisha | Ambulances reached the Rath Yatra spot after some people complained of suffocation and were reported unconscious due to humidity. The affected people were taken to the hospital and were provided with the required medical assistance https://t.co/Fie3j5sA03 pic.twitter.com/JYIkSUi7jj
— ANI (@ANI) June 27, 2025
More than a million devotees had gathered in Puri by Saturday, NDTV quoted Sanjay Kumar, the additional director general of police, as saying.
Puri's chief district medical officer, Dr Kishore Satapathy, said the majority of the patients were treated at outpatient clinics and later discharged. The main cause of the health issues was overcrowding at the festival, he was quoted as saying by local broadcaster CNBC.
Odisha health minister Mukesh Mahaling said 'the oppressive climate during the procession' played a significant role in the spike in medical cases, PTI news agency reported.
As many as 625 people were treated for heat-related illnesses and injuries, PTI said. Around 70 devotees remained hospitalised as of Saturday, with nine in critical condition, according to local authorities. No deaths were reported.
Much of the unrest centred on Balabhadra's chariot, Taladhwaja, which got stuck while navigating a tight corner. The delay sparked a bottleneck that intensified as thousands of people surged forward to continue the age-old tradition of pulling the towering wooden chariots. In the crush, many entered restricted zones, making movement increasingly difficult.
Ambulances stationed at the 12th-century Jagannath Temple transported the injured pilgrims to nearby medical centres. Volunteers from public and private groups also assisted in rescue and evacuation efforts.
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Hundreds fall ill amid sweltering heat and overcrowding at India chariot festival
More than 600 devotees required medical assistance after a massive crowd gathered for a Hindu festival amid sweltering heat in eastern India on Friday. The annual festival of Rath Yatra, which draws over a million people to the city of Puri in Odisha state, saw a series of fainting spells, vomiting, and minor injuries, primarily from overcrowding near the Balagandi area, where one of the three ceremonial chariots became stuck for over an hour. Rath Yatra, also known as the Chariot Festival, is one of the most important Hindu festivals in eastern India. It celebrates the annual journey of three deities – Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra, and sister Subhadra – from their main temple in the city to a nearby shrine called Gundicha. The deities are transported on giant, handcrafted wooden chariots pulled by thousands of worshippers. The deities stay at the Gundicha temple for several days before returning to the main shrine. The return is marked by another procession and the festival ends with a ceremony called Niladri Vijaya where the chariots are taken apart. #WATCH | Puri, Odisha | Ambulances reached the Rath Yatra spot after some people complained of suffocation and were reported unconscious due to humidity. The affected people were taken to the hospital and were provided with the required medical assistance — ANI (@ANI) June 27, 2025 More than a million devotees had gathered in Puri by Saturday, NDTV quoted Sanjay Kumar, the additional director general of police, as saying. Puri's chief district medical officer, Dr Kishore Satapathy, said the majority of the patients were treated at outpatient clinics and later discharged. The main cause of the health issues was overcrowding at the festival, he was quoted as saying by local broadcaster CNBC. Odisha health minister Mukesh Mahaling said 'the oppressive climate during the procession' played a significant role in the spike in medical cases, PTI news agency reported. As many as 625 people were treated for heat-related illnesses and injuries, PTI said. Around 70 devotees remained hospitalised as of Saturday, with nine in critical condition, according to local authorities. No deaths were reported. Much of the unrest centred on Balabhadra's chariot, Taladhwaja, which got stuck while navigating a tight corner. The delay sparked a bottleneck that intensified as thousands of people surged forward to continue the age-old tradition of pulling the towering wooden chariots. In the crush, many entered restricted zones, making movement increasingly difficult. Ambulances stationed at the 12th-century Jagannath Temple transported the injured pilgrims to nearby medical centres. Volunteers from public and private groups also assisted in rescue and evacuation efforts.
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