Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri, Odisha, is not just a yearly event but a divine occurrence where one can witness the world’s largest religious gathering. Millions of pilgrims visit the coastal city each year to encounter the living gods: Lord Jagannath, Sister Subhadra, and Brother Balbhadra.
However, the scale of the event puts immense pressure on civic infrastructure, local authorities, and frontline workers. In 2025, alongside government and community participation, the Adani Group played a role in supporting on-ground operations.
While their efforts were not central to the religious proceedings, they were directed toward easing logistical and humanitarian challenges associated with managing such a vast influx of people.
Supporting Pilgrims with Essential Services
As the Rath Yatra reached its peak, Puri experienced intense heat and humidity. With lakhs of devotees thronging the city, ensuring access to drinking water and food became a major concern, not only for the pilgrims but also for those working tirelessly behind the scenes, like volunteers, sanitation workers, and police personnel.
To help ease the pressure, the Adani Group joined hands with the ISKCON to set up food and drink stations at various busy spots. These stalls served free meals and cold beverages, helping manage crowds at public distribution points.
Along with that, they also set up water sprinkling vans at various spots to offer much-needed relief from the exhausting weather conditions.
Support for Field Workers and Lifeguards
While much of the attention during the Rath Yatra is on managing the crowds, there’s also a quieter group of people who work tirelessly to maintain the flow of the event, including field workers and lifeguards who ensure safety along Puri’s coastline.
To support their efforts, the Adani Group provided basic but much-needed gear like caps, reflective vests, raincoats, umbrellas, and T-shirts. These items helped improve visibility and gave some comfort to those working long hours in the sun or sudden rains. For many, such protective gear isn’t always readily available.
Taking Part in Cleanliness Efforts
Massive gatherings such as the Rath Yatra often leave behind piles of waste, especially in crowded areas, road sides, near the beach, etc. To support ongoing sanitation efforts, teams associated with the Adani Group worked alongside local authorities and volunteers to help with clean-up activities, with a particular focus on collecting plastic waste.
Though these teams weren’t leading the sanitation drive, their contribution added to the broader effort led by the municipality. Together, these efforts played a role in keeping key areas cleaner and more manageable during the rush of the festival.
The ‘Seva Hi Saadhna Hai’ Initiative
This is the second time in a row when the Adani Group is taking part in a large-scale public service effort during a major religious event. Guided by chairman Gautam Adani’s belief that “Seva Hi Sadhana Hai”: Service is a form of Worship, the group has launched a wide-ranging initiative during this year’s Jagannath Rath Yatra, held from June 26 to July 8 in Puri.
The effort is aimed at assisting both the visiting pilgrims and the frontline workers managing the event.
Earlier this year, the group carried out similar activities during the Maha Kumbh, another massive religious gathering. That experience seems to have laid the foundation for this continued involvement, supporting civic needs in moments when cities are stretched to their limits.
Read More: Rath, Rituals & Revenue: The Economic Engine of Jagannath Yatra
