Rath Yatra 2025: Meet the engineer behind Lord Jagannath’s chariot brakes

Every year, the grand Rath Yatra in Puri draws thousands of devotees. This year, the Rath Yatra falls on July 27, 2025, and the spiritual energy is already palpable in Puri. But few know the man working quietly behind the scenes, ensuring the towering chariots stop safely when needed. Aswin Kumar Mishra, a retired mechanical engineer from Jharsuguda, is the unsung hero behind the braking system of these divine juggernauts.

It all started in 2007, when Aswin witnessed a near-miss as the massive chariots continued to roll forward even after the traditional wooden brakes were applied. Alarmed by the risk it posed to devotees, he decided to take matters into his own hands. By 2008, Aswin, along with fellow retired MCL employee Jaggu Benia and a dedicated team from Brajrajnagar, developed a new system to improve the chariot brakes. Their early attempts with ordinary rubber and nails failed. But they didn’t give up. In 2010, success finally came with the use of specially designed big-headed steel nails and thick rubber sheets—crafted with layers of nylon, cotton, and rubber—secured to wooden logs that function as brake shoes.

The materials are sourced from across the country: nails from Gujarat and rubber sheets tailored to withstand the immense weight and force of the rolling chariots. Installing the system takes nearly a full day per chariot. Yet, Aswin and his team never ask for payment. For them, it’s pure seva—a humble offering to Lord Jagannath.

The divine chariots roll again

The Rath Yatra, observed on the second day of the Odia month of Ashadha Shukla Paksha, is the only time the sibling deities—Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra—emerge from the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. Descending the 22 holy steps of Baisi Pahacha, they are carried in a royal procession (Pahandi) through the Lion’s Gate and onto the street.