Puri, Jul 17: The pulling of the three Rath Yatra chariots will resume at 9:30 a.m. Friday, a day after the procession was halted due to fading light and safety concerns.

The three chariots -- Nandighosha, Taladhwaja and Darpadalana -- remained stationed on Bada Danda (Grand Road) overnight with Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra seated on their respective chariots.

Lord Balabhadra's Taladhwaja chariot halted at Fire Station Square, while Devi Subhadra's Darpadalana chariot was stationed at Marchikote Square. Meanwhile, Lord Jagannath's majestic Nandighosha chariot remained near the Singhadwara (Lion's Gate) of the Jagannath Temple as the Rath Yatra procession progressed.

The administration aims to ensure that all three chariots reach the Sharadhabali near the Gundicha Temple by evening.

Adapa Bije Postponed
Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Chief Administrator Arabinda Kumar Padhee said all rituals on the chariots will be completed before the pulling resumes.

"Rath pulling will begin at 9:30 am today. The rituals on the chariots will be performed before the procession resumes. The target is to take all three chariots to the Gundicha Temple before evening. However, the Adapa Bije ritual cannot be held today and will instead take place on Saturday," Padhee said.

Procession Halted Over Safety Concerns
The Rath Yatra procession was suspended on Thursday evening after authorities decided against continuing the chariot pulling in low-light conditions. The decision was taken following advice from the Bhoi Sardar, keeping in view the safety of lakhs of devotees present on the Grand Road.

Despite intermittent drizzle throughout the day, an estimated 10 to 12 lakh devotees gathered in Puri for the annual festival.

Also Read: Rath Yatra 2026: Why Lord Jagannath's Tahiya Fell During Pahandi Amid Rain

Devotees Throng Grand Road
The deities remained atop their chariots under the open sky throughout the night, offering devotees a rare opportunity to witness the divine spectacle. Thousands of pilgrims continued to gather along the Grand Road to have darshan of the Holy Trinity before the journey resumes on Friday.

With the chariot pulling set to restart in the morning, authorities have intensified crowd management and security measures to facilitate the smooth movement of the chariots towards the Gundicha Temple.