PURI, INDIA — The annual Bahuda Yatra, the return leg of the Jagannath Rath Yatra, drew huge crowds to Puri on 5 July after the deities’ nine-day sojourn at the Gundicha Temple. State authorities anticipated the surge, with Director General of Police Yogesh Bahadur Khurania calling the public mood “joyful” and appealing to pilgrims to follow official advisories. Odisha Police said about 10,000 officers—organised into roughly 205 platoons—were stationed across the coastal city for crowd control, traffic regulation and emergency response. Senior officers including the Puri superintendent reviewed arrangements throughout the day, and no major disruptions were reported. Festivities peaked on 6 July with the Suna Besha, when Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra were displayed on their chariots in an estimated 208 kg of gold ornaments. Temple officials said darshan began at 6:30 p.m. and would continue late into the night to accommodate an influx of about 1.5–1.6 million devotees. Traffic restrictions and parking closures remained in place as authorities sought to manage the flow of pilgrims through the city’s narrow streets.