Ratha Yatra 2026: Why does Lord Jagannath ‘happily dance’ on his way to meet his devotees?

It is Rath Yatra today and despite rain in certain parts of the country, preparations are in full swing. In Puri, devotees have assembled from different parts of the world to get a glimpse of this beautiful festival. While the morning prayers are almost done, it will soon be the time to transport Lord Jagannath from his sanctum to the Rath or chariot. But the Lord doesn’t come out normally. He comes out ‘dancing’ all the way to meet his devotees. This journey of the deity from his prayer hall to the chariot is called Pahandi bije.

What is the Pahandi bije?

The word Pahandi comes from the Odia word Pahanda which means to move forward in a rhythmic manner. While during most journeys, the deities are normally carried from their prayer halls to the chariots or palki, but here, the deities ‘dance’ their way through the crowd to their chariots. After the morning prayers, special servitors called Daitapatis carry the deities and move in short, rhythmic steps which makes it appear as if the deities are ‘ dancing’ their way around. The traditional sequence is Sudarshan Chakra, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and lastly, Lord Jagannath. And all this happens surrounded by ‘Jai Jagannath’ chants, along with the melodies of instruments like cymbals, drums and conch shells.

Why does Lord Jagannath dance?

There are two primary reasons for why traditionally the Lord seems to be dancing prior to the Rath Yatra. First, his happiness of going to meet his aunt at Gundicha Temple. Second, his happiness of meeting his devotees who assemble from all parts of the world. The Lord of the world (Jagannath) meets everyone who comes to meet him, irrespective of caste, class, creed, nationality, and sex. This stems out from the old belief that the God resides among its people and is always accessible for them, in happiness and sorrow.

According to Odia literature, this swaying is often described as the happiness of a little child rushing to meet his loved ones. Moreover, the Pahandi bije happens not only while departing from the Jagannath Mandir but also at the Gundicha temple.

For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.