2026 Ahmedabad rath yatra sidelights | Ahmedabad News
|| Girl power on display
A young performer displaying her skills with a chakkar
Girls and women have been gradually making inroads into the traditionally male-dominated akhadas over the last couple of rath yatras, but this year their presence was unmistakable. Two akhadas featured girls prominently. One truck showcased a girl performing aerial yoga and malkhamb routines, while another had a young performer displaying her skills with a chakkar (a heavy wheel with long ropes and wooden balls at the ends). Participants said such displays inspire the thousands of girls who throng the route to watch the procession.|| From Hormuz to world peaceWith around 100 trucks and tableaux, the procession has long served as a mirror to contemporary concerns, and this year was no exception. Tableaux addressed pressing global issues, including the Hormuz Strait blockade and the Iran-US conflict, as well as appeals for world peace.
Tableaux addressed pressing global issues, including the Hormuz Strait blockade
One tableau depicted Lord Jagannath confronting social evils, while another celebrated Gujarat’s history and monuments. Social messaging also found space. A tableau promoted organ donation, and city police used another to warn devotees against cyberfraud.|| Jhalmuri offered to visitors
Jhalmuri offered to visitors
Marking BJP’s maiden victory in West Bengal, a tableau offered jhalmuri to devotees in place of the customary prasad of sprouted moong. It featured a cutout of PM Modi along with several of his recent appeals to citizens — from refraining from buying gold and travelling within India to adopting renewable energy.|| From plushies to mobile covers, freebies go bigWhat began as a modest ritual of tossing chocolates and peppermint from passing trucks has turned into a full-blown carnival of giveaways. This year, the offerings rained down in every shape and size — plush toys, pens, chip packets and even mobile phone covers. The freebies drew massive crowds, prompting police to instruct organisers not to throw items indiscriminately.|| A cool twist
Firefighters spraying water
Rain on rath yatra day is traditionally considered a good omen, and after a prolonged dry spell, parts of the city did receive light to moderate showers. However, before the rain arrived, intense heat and humidity left the thousands of devotees restless. To offer relief, firefighters sprayed water at high pressure in areas such as Khadia and Saraspur, creating a cooling mist.
