Ensuring safety at Rath Yatra 2025: The engineer's tale
Every year, millions join Puri's Rath Yatra, but few know about Aswin Kumar Mishra—a retired engineer from Jharsuguda—who quietly ensures the massive chariots can stop safely.
After witnessing a brake failure in 2007, Mishra stepped in and has been designing the festival's unique braking system for over 16 years.
Mishra's unique design
Mishra's design combines sal wood logs, steel nails, and rubber sheets, all brought together with a simple chain-and-pulley setup.
This system gently stops the huge chariots without harming their wheels or putting devotees at risk—a clever fix that works reliably every year.
No payment, just service to Lord Jagannath
Mishra and his small team install these brakes each year purely as a service to Lord Jagannath—never accepting payment.
Their dedication helps keep thousands of people safe during the festival.
As Mishra puts it: "We do it as a service to the Lord."