July sees the conducting of the auspicious Ratha Yatra, also referred to as Rathajatra or Chariot festival. A public procession of the deities Jagannath (Lord Vishnu's avatar), Balabhadra (Lord Jagannath's brother), Subhadra (Lord Jagannath's sister) and Sudarshana Chakra (Lord Jagannath's weapon) is conducted in a chariot (ratha).
Rath Yatra at Puri attracts hundreds of pilgrims who join the procession each year. The event is a major community heritage, being an occasion for social sharing and cultural propagation.
