Bhubaneswar: Shree Jagannatha Temple Festival Calendar for the year 2026-27 has been officially released by Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi on 4 April. Shri Majhi unveiled the Festival Calendar in the Cabinet Meeting held at Lok Seva Bhawan on Saturday.
The unveiling process followed a traditional sequence of events, beginning with a sacred offering to the Trinity before transitioning to formal State recognition.
The journey of the new calendar began within the hallowed precincts of the 12th-century shrine in Puri. Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, the Additional Chief Secretary of Revenue and Disaster Management and Chief Administrator of the SJTA, performed the primary ritual by placing the first copy of the calendar at the lotus feet of Lord Jagannatha.
This act of ‘Debarpana’ signifies the seeking of divine blessings and the formal surrender of the administrative schedule to the Lord of the Universe, ensuring that all upcoming rituals and festivals are conducted under his spiritual guidance.
Following its consecration at the Srimandir, the calendar was formally unveiled to the public by the Chief Minister of Odisha, Shri Mohan Charan Majhi, during a State Cabinet meeting held on April 4.
This dual-layered release highlights the unique intersection of governance and religious tradition in Odisha, where the Shree Jagannatha culture serves as the state’s cultural bedrock.
The 2026-27 calendar serves as an essential guide for millions of devotees and pilgrims worldwide. It provides precise dates and timings for the complex series of rituals and major festivals celebrated at the Srimandir, such as the Odia New Year, Chandan Jatra, Snana Jatra, and the world-renowned Rath Jatra.
For the general public, this calendar is more than a list of dates; it is a vital tool for planning pilgrimages and observing fasts and festivals in accordance with the traditions of the Srimandir. The timely release ensures that the logistics for large-scale events can be managed efficiently by both the administration and the visiting devotees.
As the state prepares for the upcoming cycle of festivals, the release of this calendar reinforces the deep-rooted faith of the people in Lord Jagannatha and the meticulous planning required to uphold the centuries-old traditions of the Srimandir. Jai Jagannatha.