The Sacred Feast: Exploring Food Rituals Of Odisha’s Rath Yatra

Yes, it is the grandest—three 42 ft tall chariots, specially built every year for this occasion; yes, it is the oldest—the festival is said to have taken inspiration from the early Buddhist Rath Utsav and, in some manner, carries the legacy forward. But that is not the only reason why Rath Yatra, Odisha’s oldest festival, is so fascinating to people. It is also the premise on which the festival was built.

Rath Yatra is perhaps the only ancient tradition that breaks the boundary of religion, as the Holy Trinity of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra step out of their temple to meet their devotees. For a week that follows, the lords visit their parents’ place in Gundicha and, en route, their aunt’s house called Mausimaa Temple across Odisha for their annual vacation, much like the common man. During this time, they do everything like common people—from meeting friends to eating whatever food is offered, and even bearing the ire of his wife (Devi Vimala), whom he left behind.

When the lords return to the temple, while the elder brother (Lord Balabhadra) and sister (Devi Subhadra) are welcomed into Jagannath Temple, Lord Jagannath is made to spend two days at the Bada Danda, awaiting Devi Vimala’s permission to enter their abode. And like a common man, the Lord eventually sends gifts of peace—a large kudua filled with rasagola prepared by the priests of Shri Baldev Jew Mandir in Kendrapada, and a Patta Sari—to finally gain entry into his temple.

Fascinatingly, the rasagola ritual, known as Niladri Bije, is one of the many ceremonies held during the festival that gives Rath Yatra its unique appeal—and relatability—with food being at the centre of each. Another such episode is when the Lord falls ill for nine days after the Snan Purnima, during which he bathes in 108 pots of water. Like mortals, he too must forgo his daily feast and have simple delicacies like khichdi made with lentils and flavoured with gua gheeo, and chuda ghassa, a traditional sweet preparation of rice flakes, kapur, jaggery, fresh coconut, and ghee. As he recovers, this dish takes on a more gourmet avatar with seasonal fruits added. This version is also offered to devotees as a sign of the Lord’s good health and is called Chuda Kadamba. This practice easily dates back to the 5th century AD.

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A Culinary Journey Through Devotion

On the day of the Rath Yatra, Lord Jagannath, fond of his Chuda Ghassa and the pampering, often refuses to board the Rath easily and has to be cajoled, unlike sister Subhadra and elder brother Balabhadra, who happily arrive at their chariots and wait. But that is not where the mischief ends. Nandighosh often doesn’t move until it is pushed from both sides and stops almost immediately at the Bhakta Salabega samadhi. A revered figure in Odisha’s devotional history, Salabega, being born into a Muslim family, could not enter the temple. It is said that it was to meet many like Salabega that Lord Jagannath decided to come out of the temple—and that’s how the chariot festival began.

Lore or not, it is a ritual that hasn’t been flouted once in centuries.

The day of Rath Yatra is celebrated with the making of Podo Pitha, one of Odisha’s oldest pancakes that is steam-baked in a sal patta, and Kakara Pitha, a fried sweet pancake. These sweet pithas form an integral part of the travel food that goes along with fruits and khoi in the chariot, to be offered to the Lord and his devotees. The beauty of these rice-based pancakes is not only that they are some of the oldest sweetmeats of our culinary ledger with a long shelf life, but they are also a meal in themselves. In fact, it is said that these pithas taste even better during the Rath Yatra—much like the Sraddha Ladoo offered as part of the celebration by the Mausimaa Temple on this occasion.

A speciality of Baripada, where the second grandest Rath Yatra is held, the ladoo is made of the season’s finest palm jaggery and chana dal. Made in the kitchen of the Mausimaa Temple and widely distributed to devotees who gather along the path of the Rath, the recipe of this divinely delicious treat has been a temple secret for ages, shared only with the mahasuara (temple cooks) who travel with Lord Jagannath and his siblings to Mausimaa Temple while the rasoigarah remains idle for 13 days at the main temple. One often gets to sample these sweet globes on the day of the Bahuda Yatra, the tenth day of the festival, when Jagannath Temple prepares these ladoos to welcome the trinity back.

This human-like ritual continues during the stay of the Holy Trinity in the Mausimaa Temple. On the third day of the Rath Yatra, the three deities are taken to the Adapa Mandap (the holy place where the lords took their idol life). To celebrate this day, the temple prepares the first Mahaprasad, famously known as Adapa Mandap Abhada.

Similar to what is prepared in the rasoigarah of Puri Temple, the Abhada at Gundicha Temple, though made in lesser quantity, includes all the dishes and is considered by many to be far more delicious than the one made at Jagannath Temple. In fact, many believe that it was here that the idea of chhappan bhog was created, later introduced at the Jagannath Temple when Lord Jagannath married Devi Vimala. The Abhada is the finest showcase of a quintessential Odia thali—fragrant rice doused in ghee, meetha dali (sweet dal), lentils with vegetables (said to have inspired the famous Dalma), ghanta (a mixed vegetable preparation), saaga bhaja (stir-fried leafy vegetables), khatta (a seasonal relish), and sweet porridge-like kheer. Steeped in wellness, this thali is considered a brilliant example of a complete meal with food that heals. And it does. The thali not only comforts the mind and soul, but is also easy to digest—much like another temple thali called the Sadya.

Another delicacy made during this time is the Magaja Ladoo. A simple treat made with wheat flour, sugar, and ghee, it is considered one of Lord Jagannath’s favourites, which he is seen indulging in to his heart’s content. In homes, these ladoos are made for two reasons: one, of course, is tradition; the second is for the ladoo‘s virtues. Rath Yatra usually marks the beginning of the monsoon season. It is a time when, due to weather changes, many fall prey to the vagaries of nature—and that’s where these ladoos serve as sweet antidotes. Not only do they please the palate and calm the mind, but they also boost immunity to fight against cough, cold, and fever.

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The Return Journey And Divine Farewell

Another interesting treat enjoyed immensely during this week is the Mohan Bhog. Made of semolina, these ladoos are known for both their sweet flavour—thanks to the seeds used—and health benefits. They are often served with the famous Odia breakfast called Chatua, an instant porridge made from roasted gram flour with jaggery and fruits. Thanks to its healing properties, both the ladoos, along with a fresh batch of khakra (made from rice and semolina), are among the many treats the aunt packs for her nephew on his journey back to Jagannath Temple.

to fruits and even Khai Ladoo and Ukhada. But the most unique of them is a pana (Odia kashayam) called Adhara Pana. Made with dahi (yogurt), milk, misri, and cardamom powder, it is one of the few drinks that relieves travel exhaustion. But in true giving style, the pana, made on the chariot itself, is poured over the Lord and then offered to devotees as his blessing.

The Bahuda Jatra, which follows a different path back to the temple, ends on the 13th day of the festival when Devi Vimala, pleased with the gifts, allows the Lord to return to his home—and throne—dressed in his royal finery. It is a day when fresh khaja (a filo-pastry-style sweet) is distributed as a sign of joy from the kitchens around the temple. It’s also the day when the temple’s main kitchen resumes its work to once again create the Mahaprasad Jagannath Temple is so famous for—thus ending the festival that sees the Lord take on a human existence for almost a week.

In essence, Rath Yatra is not just a religious festival—it is a powerful reminder of how the divine can take on human roles to connect with devotees and their parents. Nowhere else does this come alive more richly than in the food, customs, and sheer symbolism of the Yatra that rolls through the streets of Odisha each year.