Mumbai Celebrates Jagannath Rath Yatra With Grand Processions Across Sion, Sakinaka & Babulnath
· Free Press Journal
While the Jagannath Rath Yatra is most famously associated with Puri in Odisha, the sacred festival was also celebrated with great devotion in Mumbai. On Thursday, July 16, 2026, the city witnessed one of its prominent Rath Yatra processions, organised by the Shree Jagannath Mandir, Sion.
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The procession commenced at around 4 PM from Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math (Jagannath Mandir, Sion), with thousands of devotees gathering to seek the blessings of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra. The yatra passed through several routes across the area.
Sakinaka also witnessed a grand celebration of the Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra as a large number of devotees gathered at the Shri Jagannath Temple to participate in the procession with deep reverence, devotion and enthusiasm.
A Rath Yatra was also carried out near Mumbai's Babulnath Temple on July 16, with devotees participating in the religious procession. Though modest in scale, the yatra reflected deep faith and devotion among those who took part.
Devotion to Lord Jagannath transcended age, with people from all generations coming together to participate in the celebrations. Youngsters, adults and the elderly were seen joining the procession, singing devotional hymns and chanting praises of the Lord, creating an atmosphere of faith, unity and spiritual fervour.
The Jagannath Rath Yatra is among the most revered festivals dedicated to Lord Jagannath, marking the annual ceremonial journey of the deities from their temple to the Gundicha Temple. While Puri in Odisha hosts the most iconic celebrations, drawing lakhs of devotees each year, the festival is also observed with great devotion in Mumbai, where the Odia community and devotees from across the city have upheld the tradition for years.