Rath Yatra · Ahmedabad · 2026
Ahmedabad Rath Yatra 2026
📅 Date:
📍 Shree Jagannathji Mandir, Jamalpur, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380022
Quick Answer
When is Rath Yatra 2026 in Ahmedabad?
📅
Ahmedabad hosts India's second-largest Rath Yatra after Puri, a tradition more than 145 years old. The chariot procession of Lord Jagannath sets out from the historic Jagannath Mandir at Jamalpur and winds about 18 kilometres through the walled old city, watched by lakhs of devotees amid heavy security. Three wooden chariots carrying Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are pulled by devotees through the morning, halt at Saraspur — the Lord's "aunt's house" — for the community mahabhog feast, and return to the Jamalpur temple by night.
Chariot procession route in Ahmedabad
The yatra begins at the Jamalpur Jagannath Mandir after the early-morning Mangla Aarti and the Pahind Vidhi (the ceremonial sweeping of the path, traditionally performed by the Chief Minister of Gujarat). The chariots then travel through the old-city neighbourhoods — Khamasa, Kalupur, Prem Darwaza, Dariapur and Shahpur — to Saraspur, where the deities are received at the "Mausi" (maternal aunt's) house and offered mahabhog at midday, before the procession turns back and reaches the Jamalpur temple late in the evening. The full circuit is roughly 18 kilometres.
Rath Yatra 2026 schedule — Ahmedabad
| Date | Ritual / Event |
|---|---|
| Mangla Aarti at the Jamalpur Jagannath Mandir (early morning) | |
| Pahind Vidhi and flag-off of the chariot procession | |
| Mausi's house at Saraspur — mahabhog feast (around midday) | |
| Return procession reaches the Jamalpur temple (night) |
Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad — history & significance
The Ahmedabad Rath Yatra has been held from the Jamalpur Jagannath temple since 1878, started by Mahant Narsinhdasji. Over the decades it has grown into one of Gujarat's biggest public events, with decorated elephants, akhada performers, trucks of singing devotees and a fleet of chariots leading the three main raths. Because the route passes through densely packed and historically sensitive parts of the old city, the procession is accompanied by extensive police and paramilitary security, drone surveillance and a fixed, time-bound route every year.
