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Digha Holds Its First-Ever Rath Yatra Inspired By Puri Tradition; City Sees A Spike In Hotel Rates

West Bengal has begun its first Rath Yatra from the new Jagannath Temple. The idols of Lord Jagannath and his two siblings were placed in their chariots earlier, outside the temple where the yatra was set to begin. Inspired by the Puri Rath Yatra, the event is being joined by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

by Ashmeet Guliani
Digha Holds Its First-Ever Rath Yatra Inspired By Puri Tradition; City Sees A Spike In Hotel Rates

In a new turn of events, the first-ever Rath Yatra at the Lord Jagannath Temple in Digha has now started. This festival, inspired by the Puri Rath Yatra, is being attended by West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. She will take part in the sweeping ritual.

Inspired by Puri, Digha In West Bengal Begins Its First Rath Yatra 


As per a report in The Economic Times, Digha in West Bengal has begun its first Rath Yatra from the new Jagannath Temple. The idols of Lord Jagannath and his two siblings were placed in their chariots earlier, outside the temple where the yatra was set to begin. Inspired by the Puri Rath Yatra, the event is being joined by the priests and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who will take part in the golden broom sweeping ritual.

According to the report, three chariots were scheduled to come out from the temple around 2:30 pm. And, the procession is set to continue till 4 pm. The sweeping ritual of the 750-metre route using a golden broom was scheduled to start at 1:45 pm. Pilgrims attending the yatra had to remain behind barricades placed along the 1 km stretch.

Also Read: Puri Rath Yatra 2025 To Proceed Without COVID Curbs; Devotees Advised To Take Health Precautions

Thousands of devotees have reached Digha for the yatra. ISKCON vice-president Radharaman Das said devotees from over 50 countries, including Russia, Ukraine, the US, Germany, and China, have already arrived. They offered unique vegetarian dishes to the Lord. This Digha temple allows entry to foreign visitors, unlike the Jagannath Dham in Puri. 

Hotel Price Surge In Digha, West Bengal 

However, as reported by The Telegraph Online, hotel occupancy in this seaside town has dropped drastically due to a sudden price surge. Bipradas Chakraborty, joint secretary of the Digha-Shankarpur Hoteliers’ Association, said entry restrictions on small cars and reduced bus services during the festival have impacted tourists. 

Many tourists avoided Digha due to overpriced hotel rooms. Several hotels hiked rates after the inauguration of the Jagannath Dham. Amid these complaints, East Midnapore District Magistrate Purnendu Maji fined some hotels ₹1 lakh for charging above their standard rates. Tourists also complained of poor transport services during the festival. E-rickshaws and autos were running in very low numbers, causing inconvenience. 

Also Read: Devotees Can Now Visit Puri For Free Under The Shree Jagannath Darshan Yojana

This new Rath Yatra in Digha, inspired by the one in Puri, is a beautiful event. However, the overpriced hotel rooms have discouraged many visitors. 

Cover Image Courtesy: All India Trinamool Congress/ X

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First Published: June 27, 2025 5:13 PM