As the golden chariot wheels prepare to kiss the sacred earth of Puri in Odisha, once again, an ocean of emotion is ready to surge forward on June 27. Rath Yatra 2025 isn’t just another religious celebration—it is a heartfelt call to the divine, a journey that pulses with collective faith, nostalgia, and the invisible thread of tradition that connects generations. This year, however, as lakhs of devotees flood the spiritual capital of Odisha to pull the mighty chariots of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra, another silent force will march alongside the nation’s most elite defenders.
For the first time in the history of Rath Yatra, NSG commandos, anti-drone systems, and a cutting-edge IBUS security framework will provide an invisible yet impenetrable shield over the divine proceedings.
THE PULSE OF DEVOTION MEETS THE PRECISION OF DEFENSE
As the city of Puri prepares itself to breathe in the sanctity of one of India’s most profound spiritual celebrations—Rath Yatra 2025, the air is thick not only with the echoes of “Jai Jagannath” but with a sense of unprecedented readiness.
For centuries, the Rath Yatra has pulled at the heartstrings of millions. It is a spectacle of love, of longing, of liberation—when the deities Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra are brought out of their sanctum and placed in grand chariots to journey among their people. It is the festival where the gods step off their pedestals and walk the dust-laden streets of faith.
Year after year, Rath Yatra has remained a testament to the soul of India—a carnival of faith that transforms the city of Puri into a living, breathing temple of the people. The air, thick with chants of “Jai Jagannath!” resonates with the thunder of lakhs of bare feet marching in rhythm. But this year, amidst the tears of devotion and chants of joy, there is also a quiet preparedness—a system of modern security engineering working silently to protect this sacred spectacle.
But this year, even as the sacred wheels prepare to roll on June 27, a new chapter is being etched into the Yatra’s history—a chapter of divine security where ancient devotion meets cutting-edge vigilance.
India’s elite National Security Guard (NSG)—typically deployed for anti-terrorism operations and VVIP protection—will now be present in Puri, watching over the Yatra with unmatched vigilance. This is a first in the festival’s centuries-old legacy.
THE SACRED STREETS, SNIFFED AND SECURED
Puri’s charm lies in its maze-like lanes, its centuries-old bylanes, and the smell of incense mingling with fresh offerings. But for a day, these quaint roads become pathways to divinity—and risk.
That’s why a special dog squad, flown in directly from Delhi, will be patrolling every major and minor road. These are not ordinary dogs. They are trained specialists—canine sentinels who can sniff out explosives, identify threats, and detect tensions that human senses may miss.
From hotels to railway stations, from rest shelters to busy crossings, these dogs will pad alongside the masses—alert, silent, and fierce if required.
They are not here to interrupt the Yatra. They are here to ensure that the pilgrimage of the soul never meets a jolt of fear.
FAITH UNDER WATCHFUL EYES
This is the first time the NSG commandos, India’s most elite security force, will be deployed to oversee the safety of the Rath Yatra. These silent shadows in black, trained to deal with the gravest national threats, are being entrusted with something equally sacred: faith.
The involvement of the National Security Guard signals more than just precaution. It’s a gesture that says: “Your devotion will be protected with the same intensity as our nation.”
Joining the NSG is an army of technology and state-of-the-art anti-drone systems being deployed to ensure the skies remain as sacred as the streets below. Because faith doesn’t just walk the earth. It soars.
THE RISE OF THE IBUS SENTINEL
At the heart of this transformation in security strategy lies a formidable technological marvel: IBUS—the Integrated Battlefield Utility System.
This isn’t a military battlefield. It is spiritual ground. However, the intelligence behind IBUS acknowledges that faith spaces are as vulnerable as political summits, perhaps more so.
IBUS is designed to do two things simultaneously—watch the skies and monitor the crowd. If any drone, even a toy-sized one, is detected hovering without authorization, IBUS will neutralize it instantly. No negotiation. No delay.
But that’s not all. On the ground, IBUS serves as a living grid—a digital guardian angel. It will scan for unusual crowd movements, flag suspicious behavior, and coordinate an immediate response through embedded officers trained to act like a mobile bomb squad.
These are not new faces. These are the same hands and minds that managed the G20 summit, now walking among barefoot devotees and flower-strewn roads.
WHY SUCH ELEVATED SECURITY?
The National Security Council Secretariat has introduced a new-age Integrated Battlefield Utility System (IBUS)—a powerful surveillance and threat-neutralizing framework engineered for real-time response. This isn’t just a surveillance system. It’s a guardian angel in code and command.
With sophisticated capabilities to track suspicious flying objects—especially rogue drones—the IBUS system will be on constant alert. Any unauthorized drone or flying machine spotted hovering over the holy skies will be immediately shot down. No questions. No delays.
But the technology doesn’t stop at airspace protection. On the ground, it will monitor crowd behaviour, detect anomalies, and flag potential threats in real time. In a manner akin to a well-oiled bomb squad, trained personnel will jump into action at the first sign of danger—armed not just with equipment but with experience gathered from high-stakes global events like the G-20 summit.
“For centuries, the Rath Yatra has pulled at the heartstrings of millions. It is a spectacle of love, of longing, of liberation—when the deities Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra are brought out of their sanctum and placed in grand chariots to journey among their people”
AN ARMY OF PROTECTORS FOR THE ARMY OF DEVOTEES
Puri isn’t new to security deployments during the Rath Yatra. But 2025 marks a new milestone in the scale and seriousness of the arrangements. In 2024, five companies of the Central Forces were deployed. This year, that number has increased to eight.
HERE’S WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE ON THE GROUND:
- 3 companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
- 3 companies of the Rapid Action Force (RAF)
- 2 companies of the Border Security Force (BSF)
Together, they form a formidable ring around the city, guarding every entry point, street crossing, temple gate, and alley. It’s not just about the workforce. It’s about psychological assurance—for the older woman pulling the chariot barefoot, for the child clinging to her mother’s sari, for the young man singing bhajans at the top of his lungs. It’s about telling every devotee: “You walk in faith; we’ll walk in vigilance.”
FROM THE SKIES TO THE STREETS: VIGIL AT EVERY STEP
Security for the Rath Yatra 2025 is being approached like never before—with a layered, 360-degree defense system. From elite commandos to street-level monitoring, every inch of Puri will be under watch.
One of the most unique features this year is the deployment of special dog squads brought in from Delhi. These trained K9 units are not mere sniffers—they are surveillance partners capable of detecting explosives, narcotics, and even behavioural anomalies in crowded spaces.
THEY’LL BE PATROLLING:
- The Grand Road (Bada Danda)—where the chariots will roll.
- Narrow lanes around the Gundicha Temple.
- Makeshift camps, temporary hospitals, and crowd rest shelters.
- Hotels, railway stations, bus depots, and marketplaces.
COASTAL SHIELD: A WATCH ON THE WATERS
With Puri sitting gracefully on the edge of the Bay of Bengal, security by land alone isn’t enough. That’s why the Indian Coast Guard has been roped in for the 2025 arrangements. High alert status has been declared along the coastline, with patrol boats and radar systems on standby.
Puri’s beach—usually a place of relaxation—has now become a frontline of silent watchfulness. Any attempt to infiltrate via the sea or sneak in equipment is already neutralized before it begins.
This multi-dimensional security planning—across land, air, and sea—isn’t just strategic. It’s symbolic. It shows that no element, no vector, no loophole is being left to chance.
EYES IN THE SKY: THE ANTI-DRONE REVOLUTION
In today’s digital warfare era, drones are not toys—they’re threats. Whether it’s for surveillance, disruption, or worse, drones have emerged as silent infiltrators. Recognizing this risk, the authorities have deployed a comprehensive anti-drone grid across Puri. This includes:
- Detection radars
- Jammer technologies
- Directional signal blockers
- Precision interceptors
Any drone spotted without prior clearance will be disabled immediately—either jammed or downed. No exceptions. The skies above the Rath Yatra are no longer just open heavens—they are protected spaces where only the divine has the right to hover.
THE NERVE CENTER: INTEGRATED CONTROL ROOM FOR INSTANT RESPONSE
Perhaps the most advanced addition to this year’s arrangements is the Integrated Control Room—a hub that brings together feeds from CCTV cameras, drone surveillance, IBUS inputs, Coast Guard updates, and human intel.
Located strategically near the town police station, this centre will serve as the command centre, dispatching responses, issuing alerts, and maintaining constant communication with ground teams.
It’s a setup inspired by counter-terrorism war rooms but with a purpose rooted in faith preservation rather than conflict.
AN EMOTIONALLY CHARGED SPIRITUAL THEATRE
Rath Yatra is more than a festival—it’s an emotion that transcends time, caste, language, and geography. In this sacred theatre of faith, every participant plays a role. The grandmother from Bengal, the IT professional from Bengaluru, the tourist from New York, and the priest from Puri—they are all bound by a shared heartbeat.
And this year, that heartbeat will be protected—not just by emotion but by elite forces, technology, and a national will to preserve sanctity.
As June 27 draws near, Puri is humming with both prayer and preparedness. The markets buzz, the streets get polished, chariot wheels get oiled, and the gods await their moment to ride among their people.
But behind every lamp lit in devotion, a camera watches. Behind every joyous chant, a commando listens. Behind every offering, a radar pulse. It is a different kind of faith now—a twofold one. One where the devotee believes in Jagannath and where the nation promises to protect that belief at any cost.
And in that promise, Rath Yatra 2025 becomes not just a journey of gods on wheels but a historical fusion of the sacred and the secure, where every drumbeat, every conch shell, and every chant echoes freely under the watchful eyes of silent warriors. Because in India, when faith moves, so does the nation.
