Puri Rath Yatra sees Lord Jagannath without tahia amid criticism
India
This year's Rath Yatra in Puri got people talking when Lord Jagannath was carried out without his iconic floral headpiece, the Tahia, during the big procession on the day of the Rath Yatra.
The moment quickly became a hot topic, with opposition parties like BJD and Congress accusing the BJP-led state government of not respecting Odisha's cultural traditions.
Temple officials cite rain for tahia
Temple officials explained that heavy rain made the Tahia too weighty for the ritual, so servitors decided to remove it for practical reasons.
SJTA Chief Arabinda Padhee clarified it wasn't an administrative call but a choice by those handling the deities.
Still, critics weren't convinced, pointing out that past Rath Yatras have faced monsoons without skipping this tradition.