Bahuda Yatra is the return chariot procession (ratha yatra) of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra from the Gundicha Temple back to the main Srimandira (Jagannath Temple) in Puri, Odisha. It occurs nine days after the outward Rath Yatra on Ashadha Shukla Dwitiya, typically on Ashadha Dashami. 'Bahuda' means return in Odia, and this homecoming yatra is as celebrated as the outward journey, drawing millions of devotees who consider pulling the chariot ropes an act of supreme piety.
The Nine Days in Gundicha Mandir
The Gundicha Temple, about 3 km from the main Srimandira, represents the maternal aunt's house (or the birthplace of Jagannath in some traditions). The deities spend nine days there — from Rath Yatra to Bahuda Yatra — during which the Gundicha Mandir becomes the centre of worship. Devotees flock to Puri during these nine days for darshan of the deities at Gundicha, which is considered uniquely auspicious. The deities are worshipped with special rites, and the temple compound is packed with pilgrims from across India.
The Return Procession
On Bahuda Yatra day, the three chariots are moved back from Gundicha Mandir toward Srimandira in a grand procession. Before re-entering the main temple, the chariots pause in front of the Mausi Maa Temple (the temple of the maternal aunt), where the deities are offered Poda Pitha (a baked rice cake), the only food considered impure enough to represent the full domestic hospitality of a visiting aunt. Jagannath, who is served the purest food daily at Srimandira, receives this homely preparation gladly. The procession ends when the deities are re-installed in their main sanctum and the main temple resumes its daily rites.
Bahuda Yatra in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh has strong ties to the Jagannath tradition, particularly through Srikakulam district's connection to the Jagannath temples in the Kalinga coastal belt. The Bahuda Yatra is observed at the Simhachalam Venkateswara Narasimha temple, at the Antarvedi Lakshmi Narasimha temple at the confluence of the Godavari and the sea, and at various Jagannath temples in the Vizag and Srikakulam regions. Telugu devotees make the pilgrimage to Puri during the Rath Yatra-Bahuda Yatra period in large numbers, and many temples along the Andhra coast hold their own smaller Bahuda Yatra celebrations.