Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosha Chariot Rolls in Bath, England
The culture of Lord Jagannath is not confined to Odisha alone — it has spread across the entire world. Jagannath devotion has touched the hearts of even foreigners. Reflecting this global connection, the Jagannath Temple in the city of Bath, England, witnessed a massive gathering of international devotees for the annual Rath Yatra. This tradition has been kept alive for the past 19 years. This year too, many Odias from England, Canada, America, and Mauritius participated in the celebration.
On the sacred day of Ashadha Shukla Dwitiya, the grand Rath Yatra was celebrated at the Jagannath Temple in Bath. Both the Odia diaspora and foreign devotees observed the Lord’s nine-day sojourn with great enthusiasm and devotion. After performing Mangala Arati and offering floral tributes to the deities, the ceremonial procession known as Pahandi Bije was carried out. The three deities were adorned with beautiful traditional headgear (Tahia) and brought to their respective chariots.
First, Lord Balabhadra was brought to his chariot, followed by the women devotees carrying Devi Subhadra. Lastly, Lord Jagannath was brought in a grand procession and placed on the Nandighosha chariot.
After the Pahandi rituals, Chief Trustee Ashish Rajhans pulled Lord Jagannath’s chariot and Anita Dash performed the Chhera Pahanra (sweeping ritual) of Devi Subhadra’s chariot. The chariots were then ceremonially pulled with great joy and celebration through the main streets of Bath. Just like in Puri’s Grand Road, Lord Jagannath appeared in full divine splendor, seated on His chariot. Thousands of devotees danced in spiritual ecstasy as the atmosphere reverberated with bells, chants, kirtans, and loud shouts of “Jai Jagannath.”
Preparations for this Rath Yatra had been underway for the past 5–6 days. On the day of the festival, over 100 different prasad dishes were prepared and distributed. Children sang devotional songs and bhajans. Though it rained briefly during the Pahandi, it felt as if the divine aura of Puri had descended on the streets of Bath.
The Mayor of Bath, Michael O’Doherty, and members of the London Council were also present during the celebrations. The event was coordinated by local trustee and temple sevak Sushmita Rajhans. The Rath Yatra follows all the traditional rituals, and with the collaborative efforts of many, this spiritual tradition continues year after year in Bath.
Non-resident Odias, such as Mitrajit Rath and Sabita Panda, expressed that although they couldn’t travel to Puri, the divine atmosphere in Bath made it feel just like being in Jagannath Dham.
At the temple, hundreds of devotees were served Mahaprasad, and daily Annadan (food donation) is carried out at the temple’s Ananda Bazaar. Locals and foreigners alike are actively involved in spreading the culture of Jagannath and Hinduism in England through this sacred tradition.
