Bhubaneswar: The wheels from the three chariots used during Puri’s annual Rath Yatra are set to be installed at Rashtrapati Bhavan, as confirmed by an official on Tuesday.

Arabinda Padhee, the chief administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), shared that he met with President Droupadi Murmu at Lok Bhavan in Bhubaneswar to discuss this proposal.

The President agreed to install the three wheels of the Rath Yatra chariots at Rashtrapati Bhavan. This is a moment of pride for all of us.

According to officials, the wheels from the chariots of Lord Jagannath’s ‘Nandighosh’, Lord Balabhadra’s ‘Taladhwaja’, and Goddess Subhadra’s ‘Darpadalan’ will be transported to New Delhi and installed as a lasting representation of Odisha’s spiritual and cultural heritage.

Each year, the three chariots used in the Rath Yatra are dismantled following the festival. While some of the wood is repurposed for the Jagannath Temple kitchen, significant parts of the chariots are auctioned among devotees.

New timber is sourced annually to construct fresh chariots for the festival.

This installation at Rashtrapati Bhavan is not the first instance of Odisha’s cultural legacy being honored at the presidential estate.

On October 29, 2024, four sandstone replicas of the famous Konark wheels were installed at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre and Amrit Udyan, aimed at highlighting India’s rich cultural heritage to visitors.

The Konark Sun Temple, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site in Odisha, is designed to resemble a grand chariot dedicated to the Sun God, with its exquisitely carved wheels recognized as timeless symbols of India’s architectural and cultural legacy.