The festivals of the temple draw huge crowds not only from Odisha but also from the other states of India and abroad. More than 50 festivals are celebrated here which include the Sayana Ekadasi, Daksinayana Sankranti, Deva Utthapana Ekadasi, and the Makara Sankranti. However, some of the most famous ones are mentioned below:

Ratha Yatra: The Ratha Yatra of Jagannatha is commonly known as Car Festival. This festival has attained international fame and people from all over India and the world come to witness it. It takes place in the Indian month of Ashadha (June - July) every year. It is a nine-day festival, when the deities are taken to the Gundicha temple located at a distance of about 3 km from the main temple along the Grand Road in three gorgeously decorated chariots, specially made for each of the three deities. The deities reach the Gundicha temple by the evening on the first day of the festival and are brought back on the ninth day. In this way, the deities spend ... More

The festivals of the temple draw huge crowds not only from Odisha but also from the other states of India and abroad. More than 50 festivals are celebrated here which include the Sayana Ekadasi, Daksinayana Sankranti, Deva Utthapana Ekadasi, and the Makara Sankranti. However, some of the most famous ones are mentioned below:

Ratha Yatra: The Ratha Yatra of Jagannatha is commonly known as Car Festival. This festival has attained international fame and people from all over India and the world come to witness it. It takes place in the Indian month of Ashadha (June - July) every year. It is a nine-day festival, when the deities are taken to the Gundicha temple located at a distance of about 3 km from the main temple along the Grand Road in three gorgeously decorated chariots, specially made for each of the three deities. The deities reach the Gundicha temple by the evening on the first day of the festival and are brought back on the ninth day. In this way, the deities spend seven-days in the Gundicha temple. The deities return to their abode in a journey which is called the Bahuda Yatra. On reaching the Jagannath temple certain religious rites are performed on the chariots which includes special dressing of the deities. After this the deities are taken back to the sanctum sanctorum.

The chariots are built according to strict rules. The logs of wood for the chariots are obtained from the forests of Dasapalla located at a distance of about 200 km from Puri. The chariots of Jagannatha is called Nandighosa, that of Balabhadra is Taladhvaja and Subhadra’s chariot is called Devadalana. The colour of the fabrics used for decorating the chariots are yellow, green and black respectively. The order of movement of the chariots from the temple gate towards the Gundica temple are first that of Balabhadra, then Subhadra’s  and the last is that of Jagannatha. The deities are taken out from the temple to their chariots in a swinging manner, which is called Pahandi. They are made to swing forward and backward in the process of which there is a little forward movement in each effort. Once the deities are seated on their respective chariots, the Raja of Puri does the ritual of Chera Pahanra which is the sweeping of the floor of the chariots. Then the charioteers take their seats, the horses (four in each chariot) are tied and the ropes (usually four in each chariot) are fitted. To provide a break for the chariots huge pieces of logs are used in them. Then the people are allowed to pull the chariots in the above mentioned order, irrespective of caste, creed, sect, religion and sex distinctions. The chariots are dismantled after the festival is over.

Chandana Yatra: This festival takes place in the month of Vaisakha (April-May) and continues for 21 days. In the first half period of 21 days, the representative images of the gods are taken in a procession to the famous tank called Narendra Pokhari. The deities are  taken around the lake in beautifully decorated and illuminated boats, two times each day.

Snana Yatra: This festival takes place on the full moon day in the month of Jyestha (May-June), which is popularly known as the Deva Snana Purnima. This is the first occasion in the course of a year when the wooden images of the three principal deities of the Puri temple, are brought out of the sanctum sanctorum in a procession and placed on the Snana Vedi and are bathed with 108 pitchers of water. After this the daily rituals continue in the Snana Vedi. On this occasion Jagannatha and Balabhadra are dressed like Ganesa with the head of an elephant. From the Deva Snana Purnima till the second day of bright Ashadha, the deities are not to be seen on the 'Ratnavedi' in the sanctum. It is said that they have caught a cold due to the cold bath and are indisposed. However, this is the time when repair of the idols is undertaken and preparations for the Car Festival are done. The deities are to be seen only for a few hours before they are taken out of the temple to participate in the Car Festival.

Nabakalebara: This ceremony is related to the renewal of the wooden idols of the god which have to be replaced periodically. The ceremony takes place during the eighth, 12th, or 19th year after the previous ceremony. It is the year when the full moon occurs twice during the month of Ashadha (June - July). The detailed preparations for the ceremony begin in the month of Chaitra (March-April). First the appropriate trees are identified for each deity. Then the trees are ritually cut down, and the logs transported in small carts to the temple in Puri, where they are carved into deities. A team of expert carvers along with carpenters complete the task in 21 days. At midnight on Chaturdashi, the tattva Padartha or the Brahma, which is said to be the soul of the deities, is taken out from the old idol and placed inside the image of the new one. The old idols are buried in the temple in a place which is called the koili vaikuntha. The new deities are painted and brought into the temple's inner sanctum. The new images are then made ready for worship.